ArcGIS Experience Builder Developer Edition is a web application framework that allows developers to create custom web applications using a no-code/low-code approach. It provides a set of tools and components to build interactive and responsive applications that can integrate with ArcGIS services and data.
As a developer, you can extend ArcGIS Experience Builder by creating custom widgets, themes, and actions. This extensibility framework called Jimu allows you to build applications that meet your development needs.
What is Jimu
Jimu is the extensibility framework of ArcGIS Experience Builder that enables developers to create custom widgets, themes, and actions. It provides a set of APIs and tools that allow you to extend the functionality of Experience Builder applications.
Jimu framework is built on top of several technologies including:
- ArcGIS Maps SDK for JavaScript 4.x for integrating maps and geospatial data.
- React and Redux framework for building user interfaces and managing application state.
- Emotion for user interface components.
- HTML5 and CSS3 for web standards compliance.
Development
TypeScript is a superset of JavaScript that adds static typing to the language. You use TypeScript to develop widgets, themes, and other components in ArcGIS Experience Builder. TypeScript provides many advantages such as:
- Instant type error detection
- Better IDE Experience
- Self-documenting code
- More readable and easier to understand
Core concepts
An Experience Builder experience is composed of various components that work together to create a web application. Understanding these core concepts will help you navigate and develop in the Experience Builder framework effectively.
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| Page | A single screen and can contain multiple sections and views. |
| Window | Configurable container, like a page, that supports fixed and anchored display modes. |
| Section and view | A section is a part of a page that can contain multiple views. A view is a layout container, like a page or window, but can only be in a section. |
| Screen group | A collection of screens that can be used to organize and manage the layout of an application. |
| Layout | Defines the arrangement of content in a widget, section, or screen group in a layout container. |
| Theme | The visual style and appearance of an application. It includes colors, fonts, and other design elements. |
| Widget | Reusable component that can be added to a page or section. Widgets can display data, provide interactivity, and enhance the user experience. |
| Jimu | The extensibility framework of ArcGIS Experience Builder that allows developers to create custom widgets, themes, and actions. |
| Data source | A connection to external data that can be used in an application. It can include maps, layers, and other data types. |
| Data action | An operation that can be performed on a data source, such as querying or filtering data. |
| Message and action | A message is a notification published by a widget or the EXB framework to inform other widgets of specific events or changes. An action is an operation that can be triggered by a user interaction, such as clicking a button or selecting an item. |
| Map/Scene view | A map or scene view is a visual representation of geographic data in an application. It can display maps, layers, and other spatial information. |
Products and availability
The table below lists the ArcGIS Experience Builder product and its availability:
| ArcGIS Online | ArcGIS Enterprise | ArcGIS Location Platform | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArcGIS Experience Builder |
Capabilities
The table below lists the supported capabilities for ArcGIS Experience Builder.
| ArcGIS Experience Builder | |
|---|---|
| 2D maps | |
| 3D maps | |
| Web apps | |
| Mobile responsive | |
| Mobile optimized | |
| Native apps | |
| Developer edition | |
| Pre-configured templates | |
| Pre-built widgets | |
| Drag-and-drop UX | |
| ArcGIS Online deployment | |
| ArcGIS Enterprise deployment | |
| On-premise web server deployment | |
| Custom themes | |
| Custom widgets | |
| API key | |
| OAuth 2.0 |
Mobile support
ArcGIS Experience Builder is designed to be mobile responsive where apps will automatically adjust layout and appearance based on the screen size of the device being used. This ensures a consistent user experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
The table below lists the mobile support capabilities for ArcGIS Experience Builder.
| ArcGIS Experience Builder | |
|---|---|
| Responsive on all screen sizes | |
| Resizing media for all screen sizes | |
| Auto position content to fit all screen sizes | |
| Improved page loading performance | |
| Enhanced clickable areas for increased usability | |
| Unique layout and user experience for each screen size |