Follow eXo Platform 4.1 Development Progression: Specifications, Sources and Much More
xOver the last few days, several community members have expressed interest in the future of eXo Platform. Most want to know when this or that feature will be ready. Some are even asking for a release date. The truth is that we are in active development and we don’t have all the answers. But there is a lot we can show you already.
In all transparency
It’s true that we have been communicating a lot about Platform 4.0 for a while. Since the GA, we’ve provided several maintenance releases at a faster pace than usual, improving performance and fixing many bugs. We’ve added a dozen languages and built many new add-ons.
But this does not mean that we have been neglecting work on Platform 4.1! Actually, we have been very active in that field too.
At eXo, we’re not just open source. Openness is in our DNA. I want to be very transparent about what is going on so that people with an interest can follow our progress.
Let me give you the full pack of links to watch if you want to remain up-to-date on the status of 4.1.
What’s in 4.1?
Did you know that we keep all our specs in a wiki for you to review?
This page will allow you to browse through the different specifications. Each spec goes through different maturity stages until it reaches the golden state: validated. Once a spec has been validated, the development has been planned and we have a gross idea of when we can have it done.
Note: if you are a developer, you might want to check the technical specs as well.
What are you working on?
We maintain a synthetic status page. I suggest that you check this page regularly.
https://community.exoplatform.com/portal/g/:spaces:platform_41/platform_41/wiki/Status
Specifications are turned into features in repository branches and merged into the masters once they are finished. Several features are being developed simultaneously, parallel to but independently of each other. These features only land in the masters when they are stable. This page will show you which features have landed in masters (they have green checkmarks) and which ones are in progress (these are marked with yellow light bulbs).
Can I try it?
Check. There is a permanent demo site.
http://nightly-build.exoplatform.org (login : root / gtn)
This URL always shows an updated version of Platform 4.1. It’s reset nightly with the latest code from the masters, and should be fairly stable since most of the features are thoroughly tested in QA before being merged. But if you find anything odd, it means we’ve missed something. So please tell us.
Can I download it?
Check. You can get the latest build at any time.
repository.exoplatform.org
Straight from the oven! This cryptic URL will always bring you the latest build produced by our software factory CI pipeline.
Can I build it myself?
Check. This README will help you to build a binary distribution at any time.
https://github.com/exoplatform/platform-public-distributions
Not enough? You want to get your hands dirty in the code? I admire your courage. Draw your favorite git weapon and aim at https://github.com/exoplatform. Now check out the master of the repository you want to code in.
If you are looking for a specific feature, you may want to look at the feature branches at https://github.com/exodev . That’s where all the wild action is taking place!
Can I help?
Definitely! There are plenty of ways to help.
First, you may want to give us feedback on the specs directly via comments at the bottom of the page. Also, we host video conference meetings to present the specs before validation. These meetings are open to anyone so that you can discuss the specs with us. Watch the calendar in the Platform 4.1 space to find out when the next video conference will occur.
If you speak a foreign language and would like to contribute translations, watch the Translations space. We will soon announce the availability of a Crowdin project for 4.1.
We have also begun working on the documentation for 4.1. We are using continuous integration, so you can read the documentation in progress and help us to track mistakes. Please leave a comment at the bottom when you spot an error.
If you try a nightly build and find bugs or any other oddity, please report it. JIRA is the best place to report bugs. Feedback and questions will be more beneficial if posted in the forums.
For the bravest of you, check out the code and send pull requests.
So when is the next release?
The usual response is: “when it’s done.”
My response is simply: we are confident we can cut a nice Milestone 1 release around April. Stay tuned, now that you know how to! Also, check-in to the Community for more information.