Webswing Release 25.1 LTS - All Features Explained

Dublin, Ireland, April 25, 2025 --(PR.com)-- Let’s take a closer look at what’s new.

Features List:

Linked View
Prometheus metrics endpoints
Removal of Protobuf library
Javascript client configuration in server config.
Starting of the session pool with cluster server
Upgrade to Jetty 12 and embedded Tomcat fallback
Improved Modernisation API
JavaFX: HiDPI and HtmlPanel support
Admin Console: Scalability optimisations and Web folder setup
New default window decoration theme
Updated Modernisation demo with examples

Other enhancements:

Compress JWT tokens with GZIP
App lifecycle callbacks in JS

Linked View
Working with applications UIs has never been easier than with the new feature Linked View. Linked View allows you to generate a custom URL that is openable in a new tab within the browser so you can mimic working on multiple workspaces and monitors. Something that hasn’t been able to do so far. The best thing is that Webswing opens these new windows within the same WS instance thus it’s source optimised.

What can you do with Linked View?

It allows to open multiple tabs linked to same JVM session using pre-generated Linked View URL.
Swing Windows can be switched from one tab to another using simple Java and/or JavaScript API.
When a new linked view tab connects you can add listener to open new Swing window in this tab.

Possible use cases?

Open a Linked View tab on external displays and/or multiple screens to better utilise your screenspace and use your app more efficiently.
Separating Swing workflows into different tabs for a cleaner and more focused user experience.
Running side-by-side views of different app modules - ideal for comparing datasets or reviewing content.

Prometheus metrics endpoints
The Admin Console REST interface now includes three new endpoints that can be monitored using Prometheus:
/rest/metrics – provides general overview metrics, including auto-scaling information
/rest/metrics/sp – shows session pool utilization metrics
/rest/metrics/app – offers per-application usage metrics and aggregated resource utilization data

These endpoints make it easier to monitor system performance and resource usage in real time.

Removal of Protobuf library
In their continued effort to reduce external dependencies, Webswing has fully replaced the Protobuf library with a custom Webswing-built serialization for Encoding/Decoding binary WebSocket messages.

The results speak for themselves:

Message sizes reduced by 20–50%
Encoding/decoding speeds improved by up to 3x
Javascript client configuration in server config.
JavaScript client configuration, previously only available via the client.js file, is now fully integrated into the Webswing Admin Console.

This enhancement allows administrators to:

Configure client settings using a friendly UI
Eliminate the need for manual file edits
Apply changes more easily and consistently across environments

Starting of the session pool with cluster server
Webswing 25.1 enables starting the cluster server and session pool in a single Java process, streamlining cluster deployment and reducing operational complexity.
Additional session pools can be connected on demand, making the entire setup highly scalable and easier to maintain.

Upgrade to Jetty 12 and embedded Tomcat fallback
Jetty 9.4 has reached End of Life and will no longer receive security updates. In response, Webswing now uses Jetty 12 as its default embedded server. Jetty 12 requires Java 17 or higher.

For users on Java 8 or Java 11, Webswing provides an automatic fallback to embedded Tomcat, ensuring backward compatibility across all supported environments.

Improved Modernisation API
Modernisation API has been streamlined for easier use. A new mechanism allows automatic mapping of HtmlPanel components to specific web components without any JavaScript modifications.

This makes integrating modern UI components faster and more maintainable than ever before.

JavaFX: HiDPI & HtmlPanel Support

This release also brings improvements for JavaFX applications, especially for users on high-resolution displays.

Enhanced clarity on HiDPI (Retina) screens

Extended support for HtmlPanel integration with native web elements such as maps or embedded videos

Now client can combine the power of JavaFX with the flexibility of modern web components.

Admin Console: Scalability optimisations and Web folder setup
Working with the web folder and customizing the application page is now simpler and more intuitive. The Admin Console can:

Automatically create the necessary web folder structure

Generate default files for easy customization

Handle complex configurations more efficiently, even at larger scale

New default window decoration theme
Webswing introduced a new default window decoration theme, replacing the long-used Murrine xfwm4 theme.

The new theme is:

Minimalistic and modern
Scalable for HiDPI displays
Adaptive to the colors of the current Swing LookAndFeel

This ensures a more consistent and visually integrated appearance with client's application's user interface.
Updated Modernisation demo with examples

Webswing also refreshed our modernisation demo application:

Updated UI aligned with modernisation framework terminology

New views and usage examples

Real-world integration samples for popular JavaScript frameworks

Other Enhancements

JWT Compression with GZIP - reduces token size for faster transmission

App Lifecycle Callbacks in JS - new JavaScript event hooks like onDisconnected and onShutdown provide more control over application behavior

Webswing 25.1 is all about empowering developers and administrators with more control, better performance and modern features without compromising on the simplicity and reliability you expect.

For more information and to get started with Webswing 25.1, visit the Download Section or follow Documentation.