Talking about Data Grids and FDC3

This is the transcript of a conversation between AdapTable Tools CEO, Danielle Nagler, and CTO, Jonny Wolfson, in which they discuss DataGrids, FDC3, AdapTable's extension for AG Grid and the forthcoming extension for Infinite Table for React

DN: AdapTable Tools is about to launch a new product, an extension for the Infinite Table for React DataGrid. So let’s start by asking: what are people looking for in a DataGrid?

JW: I think there are 4 main things:

1. There’s a certain minimum feature set which, in our experience, most advanced and even regular users expect in their DataGrid. Things like sorting, pivoting, aggregation, conditional styling, exporting etc.
2. Advanced users certainly want speed – over the many years we have worked using, developing and extending DataGrids, it is clear that performance is a key concern.
3. Thirdly, extensibility; for our users, the ability to plug in their own code, their own features, their own components into their DataGrid is vitally important.
4. Lastly, it’s a buzzword, but still pertinent, and that’s big data: our users need their DataGrid to be able to manage large data sets. That’s why AdapTable extends AG Grid, because it’s server-side row model is designed specifically for very big data sets, and why it will soon extend Infinite Table since one of its key features is also the ability to handle very large amounts of data.

‍DN: How important is FDC3 overall and to AdapTable's strategy?

JW: In short, it is increasingly important to both!

We have been struck by how often FDC3 support now comes up in demos and sales conversations, and with companies of all sizes.

We added comprehensive support for FDC3 in AdapTable a while back, allowing users to broadcast messages and raise and receive FDC3 intents. But AdapTable 16 (to be released in August) will contain even more FDC3 features and capabilities. This will be available in OpenFin, interop.io, Connectifi and other containers and will enable very easy integration with FactSet, Bloomberg, SalesForce, Fidessa, Refinitiv and many others.

Our aim is for AdapTable to be the must-use DataGrid when leveraging FDC3 as it provides so much value out of the box.

DN: Why have you chosen to work with Infinite Table now?

JW: Infinite Table’s DataGrid is new to the market, developed by a highly experienced team, and it offers 3 things which we think are very important:

• Infinite Table for React, as the name implies, is a React DataGrid, and this is the preferred framework for most AdapTable users (although we do have many Angular and vanilla JavaScript users). They often tell us that they would prefer a DataGrid that doesn’t just work with React but is optimised for the framework and built using it, with a natural, declarative feel, and that is something that Infinite Table provides.
• Speed – Infinite Table is extremely fast. They seem to have spent a lot of time perfecting virtualisation and other techniques and the result is that even with large data sets the scrolling performance is very smooth.
• Perhaps most importantly, Infinite Table offers a very flexible, open architecture. It provides lots of APIs and function hooks that enables it to be easily extendable by AdapTable, and allow us to integrate our rich layer of features on top of it.

DN: What does the AdapTable / Infinite Table collaboration bring to the market that is new?

JW: Both the AdapTable extensions we offer – for AG Grid and (coming soon) for Infinite Table – deliver something new and unique. Nobody else offers what AdapTable does, namely to provide advanced DataGrid users with cutting-edge, powerful features that allow them to visualise, manage, shape, and understand their data in ways not otherwise or previously possible.

Most importantly, this is all available out of the box. AdapTable for both AG Grid and Infinite Table enables development teams to swap out months of bespoke, repeated development effort with some configuration and set-up work, allowing them to be up and running in minutes.

We now provide extensions for the two best DataGrids in the market:

• AG Grid is the best all-rounder and the clear market leader. It has an astonishing range of features and natively supports most of the major JavaScript frameworks, with rumours of additional frameworks coming in the near future. We’re delighted to have enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with AG Grid.
• Infinite Table is the best React Data Grid we have seen, ideal for React developers who want to work in a natural, React environment.

By offering extension to both of these Data Grids, we can help AdapTable users to achieve greater productivity.

DN: How and when will people be able to try out the AdapTable/ Infinite Table combination?

JW: We are releasing version 1.0 this summer – we are currently in the final stages of development, and so far everything remains on schedule.

It will contain the initial set of AdapTable features that we believe are most commonly used including:

• Quick Search
• Custom Filters
• Layouts and Views
• Calculated Columns
• Conditional Styling
• Permissions / Entitlements
• Advanced State Management
• UI Components (Dashboard, Tool Panels, Status Bar, Settings Panel etc.)

And there is an aggressive release schedule in the pipeline to ensure full feature parity between AdapTable for AG Grid and for Infinite Table within 12 months.

As with AdapTable for AG Grid, AdapTable for Infinite Table will be downloadable from npm. Users will have a licence key which gives them access to all features, and we are also happy to provide anyone who is interested with a free 2-month no-obligation trial licence.

DN: Will users require 2 separate licences?

JW: No, and this is very exciting news.

One great advantage of the partnership with Infinite Table is that an AdapTable licence automatically includes the licence needed for Infinite Table.

This means that there’s only one product you will need to buy, only one company you need to on-board, only one codebase to audit etc., so from an administrative point of view buying an AdapTable for Infinite Table licence will be a much easier and smoother process.

‍