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DSpace 7 UI project – plain language summary of the update webinar (slides/recording here: http://duraspace.org/hot-topicsnode/3103)
Background to the DSpace 7 project
A call for proofs of concept went out in late 2015/early 2016 and resulted in a number of ideas; after review, it was decided to go with Angular2. At the same time, it was agreed that the REST API should be reviewed and improved
At Open Repositories 2016 a proof of concept using Angular2 + current REST API was demo'd.
In the meantime, we delivered DSpace 6: DSpace Release 6.0 Status
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- Starting in 2015, a DSpace 2015-18 Strategic Plan was created/adopted, along with a Technical RoadMap. For more details see: 2015 Strategic Planning Activities and the OR2015 presentation "DSpace Technology Roadmap"
- The #1 priority on that RoadMap was to adopt a new, single User Interface (to replace the aging JSPUI and XMLUI).
- In late 2015, a DSpace UI Prototype Working Group was established to develop/create a DSpace UI Prototype Challenge. The goal of this challenge was to hold a "friendly competition" to prototype several different technologies for a new, single User Interface. The Prototype Challenge ended in Dec 2015.
- In early 2016, the DSpace UI Prototype Working Group began analyzing the 9 submitted UI Prototypes, and put out several calls for feedback from the broad community. See also 2016 Strategic Planning Activities.
- The two options were narrowed to either a Java UI or a Client Side Javascript UI.
- During this activity/analysis, we discovered that the Angular 2 platform had been released (in beta) in Dec 2015. While one Prototype featured Angular v1, we had several concerns (namely Search Engine Optimization and accessibility) with Angular 1. The Angular 2 release promised to support both SEO and accessibility
- In March 2016, at the DuraSpace Summit, the DSpace Steering Group and DSpace Leadership Group were presented with pros/cons of a Java UI versus a Client Side Javascript UI. We also detailed our (very early) findings on Angular 2 regarding its very promising claims to support SEO / accessibility.
- Steering and Leadership saw great promise in a Client Side UI built on Angular 2. But, no one was comfortable with finalizing that decision without a proof of concept.
- Immediately after the Summit, four institutions (DuraSpace, Atmire, Texas A&M and Cineca) decided to collaboratively build a rapid proof of concept / prototype UI on Angular 2.
- From March to June, the four institutions publicly collaborated to build a basic, proof-of-concept Angular 2 UI against the DSpace 5 REST API
- During this prototyping, it was discovered that our REST API was lacking in features, and was not currently capable of supporting a full-fledged client side UI.
- By late May / early June, the group presented findings on Angular 2 to the DSpace Steering/Leadership Groups. Both groups approved of the direction.
- In June, at OR2016, the proof-of-concept Angular UI was presented/demoed. See the OR2016 presentation "Introducing the New DSpace User Interface"
- (From June until November 2016, developer concentration moved over to getting DSpace 6.0 released. DSpace 6 is the final release to include the JSPUI and XMLUI.)
- In late 2016 / early 2017, a DSpace 7 UI Working Group was established to formalize the process of building a new Angular2 UI and enhanced REST API for the DSpace 7.0 release.
- Early in 2017, this UI Working Group has concentrated on planning out the architecture (especially for the enhanced REST API) and building the "framework" for the Angular UI.
- In parallel, a DSpace 7 UI Outreach Group was established to help with outreach, and update/capture use cases needed to be met by the new UI. See: Use Cases
Breaking down the technology
What is Angular2Angular 2?
AngularJS 2.0 is...
Why are we re-building the REST API – what improvements will I see as an admin? Will my end users see from these changes?
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Overview
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