The Esri User Conference (UC) will once again take place in San Diego, CA July 8-12 and it is packed full of activities and technical sessions that cater to web developers. In this blog we will cover 10 things to look for as you plan your week; including technical sessions, resources, and events.
Each year, we put together a technical session plan that covers web development strategies and techniques, balanced with key API development themes. Version 4.x of the ArcGIS API for JavaScript has matured over the last few years; over the last year (since the 2018 User Conference) it has greatly expanded its capabilities, and improved in terms of performance and robustness. Technical sessions could be categorized into three high-level buckets: (1) Building foundational knowledge of the API and web development techniques, (2) mapping and visualization, and (3) specialty sessions focusing on key functional areas. Here are some example sessions that fall into each bucket, and some insight on each.
Building foundational knowledge of the API and web development techniques
Several sessions are aimed at helping web developers (both new and advanced) build foundational knowledge on API capabilities, coding patterns, architecture, and development best practices. If you are new to web development, a great path to take is attending these sessions, in this order:
- ArcGIS API for JavaScript: An Introduction
Tuesday, July 09, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: SDCC – Room 04 - Building Web Apps with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript (note that this is the second showing)
Thursday, July 11, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm: SDCC – Room 30 D
If you are not new to web development but want to build foundational knowledge of the API, attend Building Web Apps with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript. The following sessions might also be of interest:
- ArcGIS API for JavaScript: What’s New: This will be a good session to attend if you want to explore what you can do with the API at a (somewhat) high-level; it will cover core capabilities that were introduced throughout 2019, including the 4.12 July release.
- Building 3D GIS Applications with JavaScript: This session will cover everything you need to know to begin building interactive 3D web apps with the API.
Mapping and visualization
You can create rich interactive data visualizations with the JavaScript API in 2D or 3D. The following sessions will be presented by web developer-cartographers who are very passionate about creating very dynamic, meaningful, and visually stunning visualizations in web apps.
- 3D Visualization with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: Kristian Ekenes and Janett Baresel will dive into 3D data-driven visualization; covering both thematic and realistic 3D representations of your data. You can check out some of Kristian’s blogs here.
- 2D Visualization with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: This session will cover strategies for telling a story with your data using simple 2D data-driven visualizations. Kristian will team up with the API’s (and ArcGIS Online’s) Program Manager, Jeremy Bartley.
- Leveraging Vector Tile Layers in Web Apps: If you are interested in learning about what you can do with vector tile layers in your apps attend this session. They will also cover the vector tile style editor which allows you to customize Esri’s basemaps (or any vector tile layer).
Specialty sessions focusing on key functional areas
The key areas of functionality that we are featuring at this year’s User Conference include (but are not limited to) web editing; time-enabled visualization, querying, and filtering; and client-side analytics that enable developers to build very interactive, engaging web apps.
- Editing with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: Presented by the developer and product engineers that built the Editor widget; this will be a great session covering the various editing workflows you can build with the API.
- Working with Feature Layers in the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: I highly recommend this session (and the following one) for any developer building apps with the API. Feature layers are very performant dynamic layers that allow you to build very interactive apps that work directly with your source data. Lead API developer Yann Cabon and Noah Sager will cover everything you need to know about feature layers.
- Interactive Client-Side Web Mapping with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: This is a practical, example-driven session that will build on the Feature Layers session. It will pull together multiple client-side capabilities in the API such as queries, filtering, statistics and geometric operations. This session is scheduled after the feature layers session so that you can attend them in order.
- Visualizing Temporal Data with the ArcGIS API for JavaScript: This year we added time support in the API: you can now do both client-side and server-side querying, filtering, and visualize data based on time extent using the new time slider widget. This session will explore the apps you can build with temporal data.
Demo theaters 7 and 8 are dedicated to developer-related topics, which include, but are not limited to, web and native app development, as well as extending and customizing ArcGIS Pro and the latest tips, tricks, and techniques for developers using ArcGIS Online content and capabilities. Here are a couple of web development demo theater sessions you won’t want to miss!
- ArcGIS API for JavaScript: Tips and Tricks for Developing and Debugging Apps: This is a popular demo theater for people new to web development, looking to learn some handy tools and techniques when building web apps.
- Using TypeScript with ArcGIS API for JavaScript: Many developers now use TypeScript when building web apps and APIs (including our own JavaScript API development team). This session will cover the basics of using TypeScript with the API.
Remember that you can use the Esri Events app to build your own customizable schedule, receive notifications, and get the latest information about all of the sessions, demo theaters, and other events happening at UC. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.
The Web island is located in Hall A (look for the “Developer” sign) and we will have developers there waiting to answer your questions or address any of your pressing needs as they pertain to web development. If you’re looking for Web AppBuilder, you can find it located at the Online island right next door to us if you are walking towards Hall B.
You can sit down with a tech support analyst and troubleshoot any issues you are experiencing in your app or discuss something you are trying to implement. Head over to the Tech Support island, which is located right next to the Online island if you venture even further into Hall B.
Implementing ArcGIS Appointments is a brand new offering. Get experts to review your app – Set up an appointment with the Developer Clinic at UC to help you review your app development. In these one-on-one appointments, an Esri Professional Services senior consultant will use their expertise to assist and guide you with your app’s architecture. In the consultants’ role at Esri, they design and implement both large and small projects with the JavaScript API (and others) and have a lot of practical experience building solutions for production. This service is completely free! You would just need to make an appointment.
Pre-con seminars are in-depth all-day seminars that occur prior to the UC (true to their name). They have been selected due to their relevance to today’s challenges and cutting-edge technology trends.
Join us at the Lightning Talk event in Ballroom 20D on Monday from 5:00pm – 6:30pm, where we will have 18 speakers focused on topics ranging from apps that users have developed to tools used to enhance their projects.
The Developer Social will take place on Tuesday evening from 5:30pm – 7:30pm at the Marriott pool. Here you will be able to meet a large community of developers who are attending UC for a variety of reasons, whether they are looking for new solutions, enhancing their skills, or just wanting to catch the latest in developer tools. This one requires registration, so sign up soon!
Every year, I am amazed by the conference party. It takes place at Balboa Park Thursday night, which is pretty awesome all on its own with all of the museums and exhibits (if you are bringing your kids, check out the dinosaurs in the Natural History Museum!), koi pond, and beautiful architecture – but on top of that, Jack and Laura go all out with games, live music and other activities. There are several other activities going on during the UC, including the Esri 5K Wednesday morning.
You can follow @EsriUC (or #EsriUC) on Twitter for general UC updates, and @ArcGISJSAPI for JavaScript API-related updates, news, and events.
We are all really excited to see you in person in San Diego, share what we’ve been working on, and learn about the amazing solutions all of you have been building.
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