Jitterbit Cloud Studio and No-Code Connector Builder are new tools for non-technical users, while Connector SDK is designed for those with deep Java knowledge.

Enterprise integration Platform-as-a-Service [iPaaS] provider Jitterbit has launched their Harmony Spring ’19 release. While the new release has over 250 new features, the thematic focus is firmly on enhancing user ease and efficiency in making integrations. While several of these new tools are focused on non-technical personas, developers get some goodies here as well.

“iPaaS is all about bringing more people to the party,” said Simon Peel, Jitterbit’s Chief Strategy Officer and CMO.  Simon Peel. “Where we differentiate from others in the space is by giving each persona an area to live in. We have been calling ourselves the API transformation company. Our fundamental belief is that digital transformation is developing through the use of API. Everything will be an API, and you will have to reassemble things. Not everyone in this space is focused in this way, on everything being an API. We also emphasize being able to do things quickly, without the need for a rip and replace.”

Jitterbit agrees with the views of others in the iPaaS space that digital transformation is beginning to propel the sector forward.

“We have been talking about digital transformation for a decade, so there’s a tendency to think it’s more mature than it is, but most CIOs are just entering on it now,” Peel said. “There are so many new technologies springing up now – and all best-of-breed. Being an integration company right now is critical.”

Jitterbit’s new release gives customers several brand new tools to make these integrations easier. Next-Generation Cloud Studio is one of these, providing a low-code solution for designing integrations quickly in a collaborative environment.

“We had a Java-based desktop studio until this point, and many developers and users love it, because everything is safe and secure behind the firewall,” Peel said. “This lets you use the Studio in the cloud through a browser, making it much easier to collaborate on integration projects.”

Another new tool aimed at the non-developer is the No-Code Connector Builder.

“This is completely new as well,” Peel said. “This lets the non-technical user build reusable connectors to apps in literally a few clicks. This is something that would have taken days to do with manual coding.”

Jitterbit is also introducing a new integration tool for developers with advanced coding skills, Connector SDK. It is a self-service developer portal that lets sophisticated coders create and publish purpose-built connectors that provide highly tailored integrations to new endpoints.

“This is something that we have been using internally to create deep connections,” Peel said. “It does require Java coding skills. We also think this will have considerable appeal to our partners as well as to customers. Before we made this available, partners could build templates for their customers any time they did an integration. But they couldn’t just magic up new endpoints like they can with this. This enables them to take control of their destiny.”

Partners are also likely to look favorably on another of the new features of this release, support for a Jitterbit Linux OS private agent that is packaged in a Docker Container

“Partners, especially systems integrators, want differentiation as well as things which will generate recurring revenue,” Peel said. “Support for Docker does both, and they will be able to get it running very quickly.”

Other new capabilities include access to sandboxes to spin up and spin down test runs, a new “Hamburger” menu that gives easy access to all pages within by the use of  sub-menus, and over 35 new API Manager capabilities to give users advanced visibility and control over public and private API gateways. Jitterbit also announced that new courses have been added to their training content.