1. Connections AppDev: Building at the Speed of Pink
Maureen Leland
Martin Donnelly

2. Please note
IBM’s statements regarding its plans, directions, and intent are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at IBM’s sole discretion.
Information regarding potential future products is intended to outline our general product direction and it should not be relied on in making a purchasing decision.
The information mentioned regarding potential future products is not a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code or functionality. Information about potential future products may not be incorporated into any contract.
The development, release, and timing of any future features or functionality described for our products remains at our sole discretion.
Performance is based on measurements and projections using standard IBM benchmarks in a controlled environment. The actual throughput or performance that any user will experience will vary depending upon many factors, including considerations such as the amount of multiprogramming in the user’s job stream, the I/O configuration, the storage configuration, and the workload processed. Therefore, no assurance can be given that an individual user will achieve results similar to those stated here.
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3. This is Us Maureen Leland
STSM Connections AppDev, Middleware, LiveGrid
Martin Donnelly
Software Architect – Connections & Domino Application Development
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4. Agenda Pink AppDev Vision Extending Connections
Deploying Extensions: App Registry & App Catalog
Project LiveGrid
Coding with New Connections APIs
Summary
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5. Pink Primer Simple Accessible Modern Incremental
Starts with Connections 6 – A Vision not a Release
Collaboration Platform Built for Today
Made for Developers: Everything is an API
Open Ecosystem; Customizable
Containerized Deployment
Micro-Service Based Architecture
New Technology Stack
Continuous, Simultaneous Delivery of New Features to on-Premises and Cloud
Flexible Data Residency
Modern
Incremental

6. Pink App Dev Vision Next Gen IBM Connections has App Dev at its core !
Pink must be a customizable and extensible platform
Organizations and users can modify IBM Connections in 3 critical ways
UX Look & Feel
Data Content
Actions / Behaviors
Pink must support ad-hoc situational apps
Groups of users can create and share simple apps, e.g. A ToDo List
You don’t need to be a developer to create a cool Pink app
Pink must provide modern APIs to facilitate apps and extensions
This means a complete set of REST APIs for each IBM Connections service
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7. Pink App Dev Vision Standardization vs Customization
Customization without Compromising the 4 S’s
Scalability
Security
Stability
Servicability
Image Source: article on saascribe.com by Michael Cullen
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8. Pink App Dev Vision IBM Connections is for Collaboration
Connections does not need to be completely standardized and commoditized…
IBM Connections is for Collaboration
Can a “One-Size-Fits-All” solution be conducive to a collaborative environment ?
What can we do to give users a work environment that promotes productivity ?
App Dev Platform
Customization & Extensibility (C&E)
Ad-hoc Situational Apps Capability
Modern JSON-based REST APIs
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9. Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1
Introducing App Registry…
A central app design repository with UI and API access
Helps manage and deploy apps on a per-org basis
Provides a hierarchical model for defining applications
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
In Connections Cloud you will find App Reg via
Admin > Manage Organization > Organization Extensions
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
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10. Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1
How does App Registry work ?
App Reg provides a design specification for Connections apps
Apps are just JSON files stored in the App Reg database
The JSON files are the design blueprint for applications
Stores and serves up design metadata for various Connections services
Does not run or execute applications – App Reg is a design repository
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
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11. Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1
The App Reg Model
Services are top level components like Communities, Verse, Muse etc
Services declare Extension Points that expose customizable features
Apps are simply containers for one or more extensions
An Extension is an implementation of an Extension Point
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
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12. Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1 Ext2 Ext Service App Ext1
Muse
My App
Flip Card Layout
Watson Tone Analysis
Homepage Customizations
NewsRiverFeed
ITM
Top Employee
Info Bubble
Mail Bubble
New Employee
ITM
Engage
Info Bubble
Mail Bubble
Top Employee
A Simplified Example {
"services": ["ITM"],
"name": "Engage",
"extensions": [ {
"type": "com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.infoBubble",
"payload": {
"img":
"url": "
}}]} …
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
Service
App
Ext1
Ext2
Ext
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13. Sample ITM Customization
Important To Me (ITM) Bar – A New Pink Component
Out-of-the-box ITM Bar is populated with entries (people and communities)
Content is auto-populated for each user based on user’s own choices and ITM suggestions
Extensibility empowers organizations and users by
Enabling control over ITM Bar content and entry behavior
Overriding the auto-population with what is known to be important to ourselves!
ITM Bar Anatomy
Suggested People
Favourites
Add Remove
Community
Home
(Go to Activity Stream)

14. ITM Bar Extensions – How?
Extension Points can be used to define what features can be customized
com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.entry
com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.highlight
com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.mailBubble
com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.chatBubble
com.ibm.itmBar.favorites.infoBubble
Info Bubble
Mail Bubble
Highlight Image
Chat Bubble
Person Entry

15. ITM Bar Extensions – Demo Time

16. ITM Bar Demo - Key Points Summary
ITM Bar can extend beyond its default content to include …
Extensions defined in the App Registry
Extensions defined locally in the browser
Extension points give granular control over customizations
Design properties can be computed at runtime
Organization and User can have customized content
Consistent extensibility model across IBM Connections Cloud
App Registry
Browser Extensions
Pink Component

17. ITM Bar Demo - Key Points Summary
App Registry JSON markup for ITM Entry Extension

18. ITM Bar Demo - Key Points Summary
Simplicity is key
@Function library to support common extension tasks
Provide Visual Designer Tools where possible
Browser extension model is already embraced by thousands of web developers

19. What if there is no Extension Point ?
Introducing MUSE
An intelligent server that acts as an intermediary between and endpoint device and another server from which a user is requesting a service - a proxy

20. MUSE Muse sits between the request and response, so it can:
change behavior of the service its sitting in front of!
rewrite requests
rewrite responses
inject ‘custom items’
do predictive caching
do pretty much anything :-)

21. MUSE
Simple Request Routing
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22. MUSE
Simple Request Routing
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23. MUSE
Simple Request Routing
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24. Muse with App Registry
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25. MUSE Process Flow
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26. MUSE - Demo Time ! Standard Rendering Custom Rendering
After Muse – Communities layout by flip card
Before Muse – Communities layout by row
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27. Project LiveGrid
Situational Apps in Connections
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28. Pink Means Apps: Project LiveGrid
Situational apps with a twist of API
Embeddable in Connections, run standalone, or pull the data into your own application
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29. Project LiveGrid the Chameleon
As simple as a list builder for end users
Or as powerful as a programmatically accessible application with persistence for developers
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30. Simple Does Not Mean Simplistic
Comes with a built in data store (Mongo)
Simple programmability for your end users @Total, …)
JavaScript for your developers
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31. Stencils and Styles as Building Blocks
Start from scratch, a sample grid, a spreadsheet, or from a REST API
Weather data, Connections, Domino , …
Visualize and style your application with stencils and stylesheets
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32. Demo Time!!
A grid with an API in the blink of an eye…
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33. And (of course)… It’s Extensible
List of “starter grids”
Stencils
Styles
Controls
Programmability etc)
Let us know how you want to contribute!
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34. Project LiveGrid Demo Summary
To end users, it is a simple list building tool
To developers, it builds applications, with APIs to power extensions
To business partners, it’s an opportunity
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35. Pink APIs
Atom is good for chemists, not developers!
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36. Pink Means Usable APIs Modern APIs with consumable JSON payloads
Reimagined for ease of use
GraphQL option to allow you to get just what you need
All surfaced through a common middleware layer to ensure consistency across the Connections services
Documentation (Swagger anyone?)
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37. Would you rather…
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38. Or…
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39. How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
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40. How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
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41. How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Pink feature
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42. How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
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43. Are you going to break my applications?
NO!!!
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44. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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45. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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46. Response modification
Pink Middleware
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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47. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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48. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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49. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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50. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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51. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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52. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Pink feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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53. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
New feature
Pink feature
Micro service 1
Micro service 2
Micro service 3
Micro service 4
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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54. Response modification
How do we transition without breaking customers and partners?
Green feature
Pink feature
Middleware layer …
Throttling
Caching …
API gateway
Mapping
API assembler
New-to-IC6 APIs
IC6-to-New APIs
GraphQL
Authentication
Response modification
Proxy
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55. 11/13/2018

56. Demo Time!!
Pink APIs for apps that can fly!
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57. APIs for Existing Connections Services
Will continue to work, as is, no fear!
Translation layer ensures compatibility even if we replace the service
But now you will have an alternative
JSON payloads/responses
Consumable payloads
Redefining APIs around what people actually need to do
Leverages Loopback to translate the APIs
Swagger interface for documentation and experimentation
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58. Summary
Connections Pink provides multiple ways to customize your Connections Experience from the inside out
Store and share your customizations through the App Registry and the App Catalog
More consumable APIs for both new and existing Connections services
Grow your own programmable applications at the speed of Pink
Join us on the journey!
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59. Related Sessions
Dev 08: Make your application seamlessly integrated in IBM Connections
Tuesday, 14:45-15:30 | Gorilla 4 (right here!!)
And we hope you saw….
IBM Connections 6 and beyond - What's New and what comes next?
GraphQL 101
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60. Thank you!!
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61. Notices and disclaimers
Copyright © 2017 by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from IBM.
U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights — Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM.
Information in these presentations (including information relating to products that have not yet been announced by IBM) has been reviewed for accuracy as of the date of initial publication and could include unintentional technical or typographical errors. IBM shall have no responsibility to update this information. THIS DOCUMENT IS DISTRIBUTED "AS IS" WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. IN NO EVENT SHALL IBM BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE ARISING FROM THE USE OF THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF DATA, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, LOSS OF PROFIT OR LOSS OF OPPORTUNITY. IBM products and services are warranted according to the terms and conditions of the agreements under which they are provided.
IBM products are manufactured from new parts or new and used parts. In some cases, a product may not be new and may have been previously installed. Regardless, our warranty terms apply.”
Any statements regarding IBM's future direction, intent or product plans are subject to change or withdrawal without notice.
Performance data contained herein was generally obtained in a controlled, isolated environments. Customer examples are presented as illustrations of how those customers have used IBM products and the results they may have achieved. Actual performance, cost, savings or other results in other operating environments may vary.
References in this document to IBM products, programs, or services does not imply that IBM intends to make such products, programs or services available in all countries in which IBM operates or does business.
Workshops, sessions and associated materials may have been prepared by independent session speakers, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IBM. All materials and discussions are provided for informational purposes only, and are neither intended to, nor shall constitute legal or other guidance or advice to any individual participant or their specific situation.
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62. Notices and disclaimers continued
Information concerning non-IBM products was obtained from the suppliers of those products, their published announcements or other publicly available sources. IBM has not tested those products in connection with this publication and cannot confirm the accuracy of performance, compatibility or any other claims related to non-IBM products. Questions on the capabilities of non-IBM products should be addressed to the suppliers of those products. IBM does not warrant the quality of any third-party products, or the ability of any such third- party products to interoperate with IBM’s products. IBM EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
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63. BACKUP
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64. Pink Customization New Application Catalog Self-Service User Model
App Catalog
Pink Customization
New Application Catalog
Self-Service User Model
Apps from IBM, BPs, 3rd Parties
App Registry Integration
Marketplace support
Independent Micro Service
Single point of entry for end-user, org admin and app developer
Facilitates …
Searching
Browsing
Deploying
Liking/Rating
Publishing
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65. ITM Bar Demo - Key Points Summary
Extensibility UX can adapt depending on user’s role, e.g.
Expose design capabilities only to users with AppDeveloper role
… or based on other policies or preference settings

66. ITM Bar Extensions – Why?
An org should be able to control content by inserting its own entries, e.g.
Person Entry
On-Boarding Extension to add a new hire to ITM for a given team
Employee Recognition Extension to add an outstanding contributor to ITM
App Entry
Checkpoint extension (HR Reviews) may need to be on ITM at a certain time of year
Important new community for a selected audience of users when a new project starts up