NativeScript 8.0 Released With Apple M1, Webpack 5 Support

NativeScript is a popular open-source framework for developing native apps with JavaScript, Typescript, and Angular.

It is one of the most widely-used and well-known frameworks for front-end, cross-platform development.

This NativeScript app development framework was released by the Progress Software Corporation in the year 2014.

It provides immediate access to all native platform APIs utilizing JavaScript, Angular, etc. offering excellent native-like experiences on the web, Android and iOS.

Benefits:

• Supported by a strong community
• Simple learning curve
• Fully native performance
• One code, many platforms
• Direct 100% access to Android and iOS APIs
• Strong support for TypeScript, JavaScript, Angular, and CSS
• A broad range of plugins and templates for faster development

NativeScript is giving strong competition to the other frameworks like React Native, Flutter, and Ionic.

NativeScript is popular among developers and enterprises because of its reusability of code, its effectiveness of XML for platform-independent UIs, Angular and Vue.js integration, and native performance.

Today the latest version of the NativeScript framework is available which highlights more streamlining of the core of this framework so that this can serve as good support for future enhancements.

Version 8.0 of NativeScript, a framework for producing native mobile apps with the help of JavaScript.

This framework also adds support for the Webpack 5 module bundler and Apple M1 systems.

NativeScript accommodates Apple’s new system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology with the addition of Apple M1 backing. The Apple M1 is Apple’s private SoC for the Mac, intended to substitute Intel processors.

NativeScript 8.0 shows that it is the ultimate solid foundation for growth and new JavaScript developments with improved community engagement by recognizing some of the oldest demanded features.

It adds support for creative view development through new RootLayout, adding structural integrity with official eslint package, representing widespread use case applicability through new Capacitor integration, support for most modern webpack5, and a revised website plus fresh documentation.

There are Several Items in this New Release:

• Official Apple M1 support
• First-class a11y support
• CSS box-shadow support (requested since 2015!)
• webpack5 support
• CSS box-shadow support (requested since 2015!)
• CSS text-shadow support
• Latest official eslint rules for NativeScript projects
• New hidden binding property for more performance dialing cases
• New RootLayout container – giving more dynamic creative view development
• New revamped docs and website to adequately represent the current and future of NativeScript
• The first official NativeScript Best Practices Guide
  

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A summary of all the new things in the NativeScript 8.0 release

The following new features can be observed in NativeScript 8.0 release: 

1) Webpack: Vastly Simplified Config

A typical NativeScript webpack.config.js looks like this now:

const webpack = require("@nativescript/webpack");
module.exports = (env) => {
  webpack.init(env);
  return webpack.resolveConfig();
};

The above config handles all the supported frameworks and their particular webpack requirements (loaders, plugins, etc.) while sharing a common base config that streamlines features across all flavors.

2) CSS: box-shadow

Box Shadows have been a highly requested feature in NativeScript. You can now use CSS box-shadow – the value support is CSS-Spec compliant- you can use any of the short-hand variants.

box-shadow: 0 0 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);

3) CSS: text-shadow

text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);

4) Layout: the new RootLayout

A new layout container that extends from GridLayout allows new APIs for powerful and enjoyable dynamic view layering and creation.

<RootLayout> is a layout container designed to be used as the main root layout container for your app with a built-in API to quickly control dynamic view layers.

5) Tooling: @nativescript/debug-ios

This package adds some deep interactive debugging tools to your iOS app. You can enable it with the following:

npm install @nativescript/debug-ios --save-dev

Method:

import { NativeScriptDebugIOS } from "@nativescript/debug-ios";
NativeScriptDebugIOS.show(); 

6) Plugins: @nativescript/apple-pay

npm install @nativescript/apple-pay
This provides the following:
<ApplePayBtn tap="onApplePayTap" buttonType="InStore" />

7) Plugins: @nativescript/google-pay

npm install @nativescript/google-pay

This provides the following:

<GooglePayBtn cardNetworks="VISA, AMEX, DISCOVER" authMethods="PAN_ONLY, CRYPTOGRAM_3DS" tap="onGooglePayTap" width="100%" height="40" buttonType="PAY_BLACK" />

8) Important note about BottomNavigation and Tabs

With 8.0, BottomNavigation and Tabs UI components are now provided by the community where they can get more focused attention not bound or held up by NativeScript core updates. 

9) BottomNavigation

<BottomNavigation> is now available through @nativescript-community/ui-material-bottom-navigation

10) Tabs

<Tabs> is now available through @nativescript-community/ui-material-tabs 

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Conclusion

Now as you are aware of the new features in the NativeScript 8.0 Release.

Therefore, it is clear that NativeScript is a solid choice for developing mobile apps and it also helps you to utilize all the skills that you already have as a web developer.

We hope that this article provided you with the essential information regarding all the new things this new release has for you and to help you choose whether NativeScript is the best choice for you.