Featured Discussions RSSWed, 18 Dec 2024 02:16:12 GMTWe have been “quiet” for a few months, piecing together the new NEO universal app, core UNA CMS update and a handful of new modules. All these updates are a bit different from the regular new modules and bug fixes. So different, in fact that we had to re-think how to package, ship, and support UNA.I’ll share the observations first, then takeaways, then the news...ObservationsNative Apps give a huge advantage. While UNA is responsive and can be shipped as a PWA, native apps from App Stores with interactive, platform-specific UI consistently attract more engagement. For social platforms, 8 out of 10 returning users typically prefer native apps. React Web App has greater potential. While the UNA classic UI holds its ground, the Next.js web app exported from the NEO universal app repo represents a significant upgrade. Features like data-prefetching, WebSocket updates, aggressive caching, and virtualized lists enable high-performance modern web apps. UNA CMS is a fantastic API server and admin interface, but for user-facing applications, server-rendered SPAs are the superior choice.AI is powerful, promising, yet temperamental. The AI Agents module is theoretically capable of creating automations and tools to compensate for missing modules or integrated services. Its potential is immense, but it requires further research and tooling to unlock fully. However, AI often behaves unpredictably, being overly confident when it shouldn’t be, and needs careful supervision. Docs are hard, for two reasons. First, while writing docs isn’t such a big deal, keeping them up to date is hard. We make hundreds of commits for each update and many affect logic to the point that docs require updates. the second reason is justtaposed to the first one - people just don’t read docs. The amount of times we have to explain the same things that are already covered in docs over and over and staggering. 99% of the issues are “Day 1 stumbles”. Nearly every problem UN... Read more

]]>Wed, 18 Dec 2024 02:16:12 GMTThe 100 D-Days Challenge continues, and today we're adding the most comprehensive single article ever added to UNA Docs - the Launch Checklist.The purpose of the launch checklist is to provide a step-by-step general guide to launching a community powered by UNA CMS. There are currently 43 steps, and more will be added and cross-linked in the future. Each step offers a brief overview of what needs to be done, with more detailed articles on each step to follow in further Docs updates.UNA is by far one of the most capable and sophisticated purpose-built platforms. It is certainly the most comprehensive community software system, but with power comes complexity. While we strive to make configuration as simple as possible, there are still many steps to consider. Often, we hear our clients ask - "So, what do I do next?" or "Hm, why is this not working?" - only to realize that an important configuration step was missed. So, this checklist is where you find out exactly what needs to be done before launch!Read through it, even if you've already launched - chances are that it will help you review and reevaluate your setup. The first few steps cover general planning and ideation, then it moves on to installation and main config options.If you notice any critical steps missing, or would like a detailed article on any of the steps in particular as soon as possible, please comment here. If you'd like to contribute to this or any other article - also add your content in the comments and we'll incorporate it.

]]>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 05:24:41 GMTThe Accounts app one of the Core Apps that is fundamental for accounts management in a community. It's an unusual app, in that it exposes a grid with data both in Studio and in frontend. Accounts app is for Operators and Admins/Moderators, too. The Accounts App documentation is updated with detailed descriptions of all actions and info items. Let us know if there is anything else you'd like to know about Accounts app.

]]>Thu, 04 Apr 2024 11:15:34 GMTDay 9, 10 and 11 of the 100 D-Days ChallengeDetailed instruction for Downloading, Installing and Activating Apps published.Overview of Core Apps - intro to Core Apps. Individual pages for each app are coming.Overview of Starter Kits - Only Spacenook is currently available and 3 more will be released in coming weeks. Spacenook Starter Kit page and the Accounts App updates are WIP.All documents a getting interlinked as new updated are coming. With that we're 10% into the challenge, just ramping up!

]]>Fri, 29 Mar 2024 11:51:08 GMTDay 6, 7 and 8 of the 100 D-Days ChallengePrinciples document outlining our development priorities and commitments.Requirements document rearranged and updated with new hardware and software specifications for hosting server. Installation Guide and Installation to Ubuntu Debian docs reformatted and updated.It was a busy weekend and Monday. More updates and new docs on the way!

]]>Tue, 26 Mar 2024 11:49:30 GMTDay 5 of the 100 D-Days ChallengeDetailed instruction for Deactivating, Uninstalling and Deleting UNA Apps is publishedIt is important to understand the difference between the three steps of removing UNA apps from your UNA site. In short - you deactivate when you want to hide or stop the app, uninstall when you want to erase the data and delete when you want to remove the app completely.

]]>Sat, 23 Mar 2024 21:50:26 GMTDay 4 of the 100 D-Days ChallengeThe new Concepts document is added outlining the fundamental cocnepts that define UNA CMS logic. This doc is somewhat similar to the Glossary, but only focusing on most important aspects of UNA. It recommended to read before starting any work with UNA CMS.Did we miss anything? What improvements would you suggest?

]]>Fri, 22 Mar 2024 01:09:34 GMTDay 3 of the 100 D-Days ChallengeThe FAQ doc is overhauled with detailed answers based on various questions we received in the last few weeks. This FAQ is now quite detailed and long, so we will use it to branch off into smaller documents and to train our support chatbot. If you have any questions you'd like to be covered by the FAQ, please suggest in comments.

]]>Wed, 20 Mar 2024 13:17:09 GMTThe 13.1 update is imminent, and along with the framework changes we are preparing some platform changes, too. I'll elaborate on specifics in the next few days, but for now I'd like to discuss one question....We think about making all UNA Pro Apps free to download and use, with a Pro plan (or payment for individual app) required only to enable auto-updates. While it may not sound like anything controversial (who doesn't like free stuff!?), I think there may be a case for thinking that we aim to "trap" people into using an app and then having to pay to update. That's not the intention, however I can see how it may be interpreted that way. We should make sure to communicate that auto-updates are not free beforehand, naturally, but beyond that what do you think we should or shouldn't do to introduce this change? What would work best for you? Our goal is to get more people to try whichever apps they want and get started with minimal constrains.

]]>Mon, 28 Aug 2023 23:44:21 GMTWe understand that efficiency and reliability are key factors in any social platform. With that in mind, we are thrilled to announce that users will soon be able to download and utilize tests for UNA Framework. These tests are designed to automate various functions within UNA, including the creation of accounts, profiles, groups, albums, and other types of content. Furthermore, these tests will facilitate the establishment of connections between profiles, such as friendships and relationships.But that's not all – these tests are not just about convenience. They also serve as a powerful tool for our developers to ensure the stability and functionality of UNA. By identifying and addressing any potential bugs or issues in advance, we can ensure a seamless experience for all users.One particularly exciting prospect is our plan to automate the testing process for third-party modules before they become available in the UNA marketplace. While this is a future endeavor, we believe that implementing this practice will contribute to the overall quality and reliability of the platform's extensions. At this stage, developers will be responsible for conducting these tests themselves.To achieve this, we have chosen Playwright as our testing framework. Playwright offers a comprehensive and versatile set of tools for browser automation, and you can learn more about it on their official website: https://playwright.devThese tests will be made accessible through a dedicated Git repository, providing a convenient way for developers to access and collaborate on testing resources.We invite you all to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments. What specific tests would you find valuable? Are there any particular aspects of our software that you would like to see thoroughly tested? Your feedback is incredibly important to us as we strive to make UNA the best it can be.Thank you in advance for your valuable input, and we look forward to incorporating your insights into this exciti... Read more

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