Ensure event strategy reliability through unit tests
Valid from Pega Version 8.3
You can now automate event strategy testing and increase the reliability of the event strategy configuration through unit tests. Avoid errors and ensure that the strategy delivers the expected results by configuring assertions on property values, aggregates, and result counts.
For more information, see Increased event strategy reliability through unit testing.
Data migration enhancements
Valid from Pega Version 8.3
Ensure a successful data migration by using a configuration template for setting up your environment before you migrate data into your application. From the new Migration settings landing page, configure dynamic system settings for migration and turn off database indexes and processes that might affect data migration performance. After you have finished migrating data, you can revert your system to its normal working state.
For more information, see Creating a migration configuration template.
Visual Data Model enhancements
Valid from Pega Version 8.3
View your application's full data model, see how its entities are related, edit and delete fields, and add fields to the model without exiting the Visual Data Model. In addition, you can now search the entire data model for fields and select a case or data type class to see its fields and relationships.
For more information, see Exploring the data model.
Use a JSON file to create a data type
Valid from Pega Version 8.3
You can now use a sample JSON response to create a data type in the Data Type wizard in Integration Designer. Using a sample JSON response reduces development time by providing the response schema when your REST endpoint is not available.
For more information, see Use a JSON file to create a data type.
Application settings categorization and reuse
Valid from Pega Version 8.3
Application settings are enhanced so that you can categorize and reuse application settings in all rules. You can reference an application setting in a rule and specify separate values for each production level. At run time, the setting holds the correct value for the application's current production level. This functionality helps you manage your application settings more effectively.
For more information, see Creating an application setting and Categorizing application settings.
Improved contracts for implementations
Valid from Pega Version 8.4
For more complete contracts, automations now support embedded pages, default values, and picklists. These enhancements provide a more robust model for inputs and outputs that is easier to update and maintain.
For more information, see Viewing automations.
Enhanced OpenAPI Specification generation
Valid from Pega Version 8.4
To better understand the purpose of your REST API, you can now generate a more complete OpenAPI Specification (OAS) from REST service rules in Pega Platform™. The system uses relevant records to build an accurate schema definition for page and page list outputs, and generate stronger schema type definitions for all inputs, outputs, and fields, such as array or boolean. You can also generate OAS by mapping values to JSON or Clipboard in the request, or mapping values from JSON or Clipboard in the response.
For more information, see Service REST rules.
New text analytics APIs for Intelligent Virtual Assistant
Valid from Pega Version 8.4
Pega Platform™ now provides text analytics APIs that separate Intelligent Virtual Assistant and text analyzers into independent modules. This solution prevents integration issues when you change your text analyzer configuration.
For more information, see Text analytics APIs.
Optimized performance of embedded decision strategies
Valid from Pega Version 8.4
The performance of embedded strategies has now been optimized so that these strategies take less time and fewer CPU and memory resources to complete. This enhancement increases the performance of cloud and on-premises deployments.
For more information, see About Strategy rules.
New method of aggregating real-time events
Valid from Pega Version 8.4
Event Strategy now uses the approximate median for calculating aggregations. Approximate median calculation replaces the existing method because it requires fewer system resources for saving or loading the event strategy state. In addition, you can now calculate aggregated values by using a new Landmark window type. The window type captures all values of specific event properties from the start of the data flow that references the event strategy.
For more information, see Adding aggregations in event strategies.