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Reactime 21.0
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@AndrewByun AndrewByun released this 23 Oct 19:29
· 1154 commits to master since this release
v21.0.0
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Reactime 21.0 focuses on several key performance issues to improve application stability and reliability, bug fixes, a revamped UI, and the inclusion of a state export and import feature.

Under the Hood

We have resolved several persistent bugs that would result in a black screen during regular application use. One of the major causes of Reactime’s black screen bug was related to the use of deprecated packages, such as an outdated Material UI package. Another source of black screens and poor user experience appeared to be related to the application frequently terminating ports. This prevented Reactime’s contentScript.ts, background.js, and MainContainer.tsx from communicating with the developer’s application. Through the implementation of a ‘keepAlive’ function, we allow the connection to stay long-lived for longer. Updating the current Material UI package from v4 to v5 and implementing keepAlive connections have resulted in a drastic decrease in port disconnects.

In an effort to improve maintainability and application longevity, there were several engineering interventions that were implemented. One of the goals for Reactime 21.0 was to decrease the dependency on external libraries and packages, which we have done by updating or removing packages. While the documentation for the backend and extension was adequate, there was a severe lack of documentation of all the front-end components. Reactime 21.0 has changed this with documentation covering more than 90% of front-end component logic. We have also added new images and charts so future developers can understand how components are interconnected. These improvements should lead to faster development of features in the future.

For user experience, we focused on several major goals. The new download and upload feature allows developers to download their current state history so that developers may share their findings or review them later down the road. Another focus was to remove features that did not meet Reactime’s standards for user experience. The “Compare Actions” option has been removed until the feature becomes more concrete. The initial application load screen has had timings loosened to allow developers with slower computers to allow better connection between Reactime and their application. Loading error messages have been improved to allow easier initial troubleshooting to decrease frustration. Last but not least, while we have now migrated to Material UI v5, we have started the slow transition to convert various components into Material UI. Along with a new take on Reactime’s logo, this has resulted in a cleaner and more modern appearance.

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