Out-of-the-box user interface capabilities
You can create effective interfaces for your application with out-of-the-box elements from the following categories:
Structural components
- Design templates
- Design templates are reusable sections with predefined elements that you can use to build your interface. You can apply design templates to sections to promote consistency, and to ensure that all sections are up-to-date when you alter the template. Design templates cover many user interface scenarios, and require minimal effort during upgrades.
- Layouts
- Layouts form the structure of your interface by being containers for other components, such as fields and buttons. In Dev Studio, you can use layouts to build your own design templates and other custom UI elements. This solution offers more flexibility, but requires more maintenance and development effort during migration to Cosmos React UI.
Presentational components
The following components govern the appearance and style of your interface:
- Skins
- Skins are rules that help you define the style of your interface and the presentation of your content. You can determine the typography, borders, backgrounds, placement, and appearance of UI elements. Skins separate content from its presentation, so that you can reuse your configurations and keep user interface design consistent throughout your application.
- Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) helper classes
- CSS helper classes are predefined classes that help you make minor changes in the format of layouts. For example, you can change the borders, margins, or padding.
Behavioral components (Action sets)
- Event
- User activity that triggers actions. For example, selecting a check box.
- Action
- System response to an event. For example, displaying a new section.
- Conditions (optional)
- Restrictions that apply to combinations of events and actions. For example, hovering over a field and displaying a message if the field is empty.
Actionable elements (Controls)
Controls introduce interaction to your interface with such elements as buttons, links, and fields, through which users initiate certain events, such as displaying a screen, saving their work, or advancing a work item.
Accessibility
UI components in Pega Platform support assistive technologies for a more inclusive approach to users with disabilities. Accessibility features take advantage of ARIA roles that provide additional information about your application to assistive technologies such as screen readers.
Localization
Localization helps you broaden your pool of application users by setting the product in an understandable context. You can also use a wizard to automate localization processes, for example, the preparation of translation packages.