Wakanda is a free, open source JavaScript development and run-time environment for mobile and web applications. It’s a powerful software developed by 4D organization, which provides a full, end-to-end JavaScript support to develop Web and mobile business applications. Wakanda comprises of a Studio, an Application Server with Database, and a Client Framework to provide you a complete solution to develop and deploy modern Web applications in JavaScript.
The Wakanda Studio:
Wakanda Studio comprises of a Datastore Model Designer, a GUI Designer, a Code Editor, and a Solution Manager. The Datastore Model Designer provides a set of useful tools to draw a visual representation of the business logic of your project. The GUI Designer is a drag-n-drop screen designer with WYSIWYG support. The Code Editor provides an integrated development environment to build application code for your project, with syntax highlighting and auto-complete features. The Solution Manager represents the list of projects in a hierarchical view.
Wakanda Studio allows you to develop applications in JavaScript, HTML CSS, and JQuery (version 1.4.3).
The Wakanada Server:
Wakanda Server is a multi-threaded Java Runtime Environment which comprises of a Datastore, a Database engine, and an HTTP Server. The Datastore contains all your project’s data and models. It is run by Wakanda’s NoSQL Database engine, which uses the class model and business application logic defined for the project. And to allow interaction between this back-end and the application’s front-end, Wakanda provides its own, super-fast HTTP Server.
The Wakanda Framework:
Wakanda Application Framework is a set of packages which provides a convenient environment to keep things running smoothly throughout the application development process. It comprises of a data provider which communicate with the server, a set of rich front-end widgets, and a datasource layer which communicates between the former two.
Working with Wakanda:
The download file of Wakanada comes with two component packages: Wakanda Studio and Wakanda Server. While the Studio lets you easily develop web, mobile, and tablet application in JavaScript, the Server allows you to test and deploy those applications in real-time.
Wakanda provides a quick-start guide to help you start developing applications in Wakanda. You can go through the documentation to get a brief idea about how to build an application using Datastore classes, how to input data into these applications, and how to display this data at the front-end in any browser.
Also, check our post 4 free IDE for JavaScript.
Key Features of Wakanda:
- A complete solution to build web and mobile business applications, using JavaScript throughout the complete stack.
- An all-in-one package, comprising of a development Studio, a Datastore, Database engine, IDE, Client Server, and Application Framework which allows fast application development and cloud deployment.
- Ability to visually design datastore classes and create business logic.
- Easy to create and manage complex data structures with click and drag support for drawing relationships between classes.
- Two-way code editor for Javascript, CSS, and HTML, with syntax highlighting and auto-complete features.
- Support for visual tools like gradient, transparency, shadow, etc., for CSS3 attributes.
- Customizable UI Widgets.
- Support for standards-based APIs including W3C, WHATWG, CommonJS, and NodeJS.
- Multiple device support.
- IPv6 support
Also, check another free web development toolkit WebMatrix.
The Final Verdict:
Honestly speaking, I personally didn’t get much idea about the software since it needed proper testing which includes going through the whole process of project development to explore all the features of this powerful software. And since I am not into coding, I was not able to develop a project on my own. But I can say it’s obviously a great tool for web and mobile application developers since it provides an end-to-end support for JavaScript. As far as the performance is concerned, you will have to check it on your own.
