We’ve heard a lot of you ask what’s coming in version seven. We’ve always been secretive about our plans and we don’t like to talk about it, but we’ve decided to disclose it this time. Why? Because we already have secret plans for the next 10 versions, and the next three versions are already planned, on paper, and being developed. So it’s only fair to tell you what’s coming soon so you can get ready.

Just like previous versions, this one is a big release. In fact, it is perhaps the most important release we’ve ever had? Not only are we moving Zuilder from limited availability to the entire world, but also introducing features that will change the way people develop applications.

Here’s the gist:

1. Version control. This is more than simple version control you see in other development environments. Application versioning is designed on the app and individual component level. Packaging has a strong, automatic version support. Uninstalling and updating apps is a breeze. And developers can now think of applications in terms of versions and changes. This is done in a way no tool has done before.
2. Features. We are adding lots of cool features – image buttons, Save and Add buttons, additional Kefir commands, and some other goodies.
3. Media library. In the past, all media (like images and CSS files) had to be stored in the Work application. While this approach will still work, Zuilder 7 will feature a media library tied to individual apps (and individual versions) and media files can be referenced using tags instead of URLs.
4. Support for private installations. You could always develop apps in the Zuilder cloud. Now you will be able to install Zuilder in your own private cloud.
5. Mobile app. We will have a Zuilder mobile app that will act as a shell for HTML5 apps powered by Zuilder.
6. Overall cleanup. We found some things to be somewhat messy. The app store and documentation are getting an overhaul.

While this seems like a lot, we are truly just starting. We have a lot of great stuff coming up right after version 7. But that’s a different post for a different day.