Open Sourcing Rocket Uniface UX Code Resources: The Why, What, and How

Created by Venkatesh Jemse

Today marks an exciting milestone for us: we've officially open-sourced the code for Rocket Uniface UX on GitHub under the BSD3 license. You can now explore the inner workings of Uniface UX widgets, dive into our design choices, and pull the latest changes directly from our repository.

This isn't just about making our files visible; it's a leap of faith into a more collaborative and transparent future built on inspiration and empowerment. By opening up our code, we aim to ignite your creativity, share knowledge, and provide the tools you need to build something truly unique.

For a while now, we've been weighing the pros and cons, preparing the codebase, and fine-tuning everything to ensure it's ready for the world. And now, the day has finally arrived!

Why Open Source? Our Vision Behind the Decision

You might be wondering, "Why go public with the code?" For us, the decision was driven by several core beliefs:

• Transparency Builds Trust: We believe in being open with our users. Making the Uniface UX code publicly accessible allows anyone to inspect its inner workings, verify its security, and understand exactly how it works. This level of transparency fosters a deeper sense of trust and confidence.
• Fueling Your Innovation: We've invested considerable thought and effort into the Uniface UX project, particularly in how we develop the UX widgets using libraries such as Fluent UI Web Components. We want you to see how we did it. We hope that by examining our code, you'll be inspired to create your own widgets or even an entire design system, either using the same library, Fluent UI, or exploring new ones that resonate with you. Think of our codebase as a living example, a learning resource, and a springboard for your ideas.
• Learning and Exploration: This is a fantastic opportunity for developers and curious minds to explore our architecture, discover coding patterns, and see how various UX widgets are implemented. It's a chance to deepen your understanding and spark new approaches in your projects.

What's Available and What's Next?

As of today, you can:

• View the Code: Browse every line of every file. See exactly how we've built Uniface UX widgets from the ground up.
• Clone the Repository: Get a local copy of our entire codebase to experiment with, modify for personal use, or simply study at your leisure.
• Pull the Latest Changes: Keep your local copy up to date with our ongoing development.

To learn more about Uniface UX, please visit https://learn.rocketsoftware.com

Important Note on Contributions and Support:
While we're excited for you to explore and be inspired by the code, please note that for now, direct code contributions (like pull requests) are not the primary focus of this open-source initiative. For all bug reports, issues, or suggestions for new enhancements, please continue to use our established support channels. This ensures that your valuable feedback is routed efficiently to our dedicated support team, allowing us to address critical items and plan future developments effectively. You can reach our support team here.

How Can You Get Started?

Here’s how you can get started with the Uniface UX codebase:

• Explore the GitHub Repository: Head over to https://github.com/RocketSoftware/uniface-ux and familiarize yourself with the project structure and the code.
• Clone and Learn: Follow the instructions on the GitHub page to clone the repository to your local machine. Follow the instructions in README.md and the Uniface documentation library to understand the codebase, set up your development environment, and get started with creating your own custom widgets.

We’re excited to see the amazing things you’ll build inspired by the open-sourced Uniface UX code. Thank you for being part of this journey.