ShinyUiEditor: Out of Alpha

We’re excited to announce that ShinyUiEditor, a drag-and-drop interface for building Shiny apps, is officially out of its “alpha” stage.
Author

Nick Strayer

Published

October 30, 2023

What’s New?

We’re excited to announce that ShinyUiEditor, a drag-and-drop interface for building Shiny apps, is officially out of its “alpha” stage. With a year of rigorous development and community feedback behind us, the editor is more robust, feature-rich, and ready for you to try it out!

The Journey So Far

ShinyUiEditor debuted at RStudioConf::2022, offering an initial glimpse and hands-on experience for adventurous users. Since then, we have made significant advancements, including the addition of server awareness functionality, and reducing friction for users when adding and updating input and outputs in their apps.

New ways of running

We have also introduced two new ways of running the UI editor.

The first is a “static” mode that runs directly on the editor’s website with no need to install anything. This eliminates the need for installation and provides copy-and-pastable code for your app once you’re done.

The second is a VSCode extension, allowing you to open the editor right next to your app’s script to instantly see updates.

Better looking apps

To ensure apps created with the UI editor look great, we have added new bslib components like value boxes and cards.

On the less exciting – but very important – front, we have also focused on bug fixes, stability improvements, and overall performance enhancements.

The Road Ahead

Just because we’re out of alpha doesn’t mean we’re done adding features and generally improving the editor. Some upcoming features include exciting components like bslib::sidebar_layout() and bslib::accordian(), and a greater variety of templates to start from. Keep an eye on the GitHub repository and editor website to stay up-to-date with the latest.

We’re Listening

Feedback isn’t just appreciated—it’s crucial. Your insights and suggestions will greatly influence ShinyUiEditor’s continued development. Join the conversation through our Discord channel or raise an issue on our GitHub page.

We can’t wait to see what you build!