Progress unveils AI-powered Telerik & Kendo UI R2 2024 release

Progress, the provider of infrastructure software, has announced the R2 2024 release of its Telerik and Kendo UI libraries and tools for application development. These releases, which are among the most potent .NET and JavaScript UI libraries, introduce artificial intelligence (AI) prompts, enhanced design-to-code productivity, new accessibility features, and a range of new UI components, including the pioneering Blazor Spreadsheet component.

Loren Jarrett, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Digital Experience at Progress, commented on this development: "Businesses are rapidly adapting their products to take advantage of AI, and developers have to respond quickly to this new opportunity. With this latest release, we make it easy for developers to include Generative AI prompts in their apps and embed AI for a better user experience, in addition to advanced design-to-code automation and accessibility features. The world is moving quickly, and we are empowering developers to stay ahead of the game."

The R2 2024 release encompasses various innovative changes aimed at enhancing developers' workflows and ensuring inclusivity and accessibility in application design. One significant addition is the AI Prompt component, which is available across all Telerik and Kendo UI libraries. This component enables the creation of quality content, messages, and documents, and facilitates swift access to information through in-UI searches. Additionally, AI integration demos for components like TextBox and Spreadsheet are included to help developers discover new ways to incorporate AI-powered interactions within their digital experiences.

Recognising that design systems are vital for maintaining consistency, Progress has introduced improvements in the designer-to-developer handoff process. The release includes enhanced Figma UI Kits, improved colour system themes, and enriched design system documentation. The introduction of unified rendering across various JavaScript and .NET web frameworks and the availability of over 600 component-specific theme variables aim to streamline the development process. Moreover, the ThemeBuilder cloud application now features a smart CSS code editor to further support development efforts.

On the accessibility front, recent global research commissioned by Progress has highlighted the increasing importance of building human-centric applications with accessibility at the core. Seventy-six percent of developers now consider this more crucial than it was two years ago. To support these efforts, the Telerik and Kendo UI libraries comply with Section 508, WCAG 2.2, and WAI Aria standards. All web chart components now offer built-in accessibility and keyboard navigation to ensure that data visualisations are accessible to all users.

Additional new capabilities include features for embedded data-driven experiences, enhanced reporting and visualisation features, the modernisation of legacy projects with support for complex migration scenarios, and support for .NET 9 Preview.

With over four million developers and technologists at hundreds of thousands of enterprises relying on its solutions, Progress states the company remains committed to making the lives of technology professionals easier.