For the last several weeks, we worked hard to rebuild core of the SP Page Builder. We all know that even a one-second delay can drastically reduce customer satisfaction. Now let me turn your attention to performance improvements. Yes we've developed a "Speed Demon".
Need of Speed for SP Page Builder
Here at JoomShaper we try to code our products to be speedy and efficient, but there is always a way for performance improvements. In the current version (V. 1.2) of the component, we've done lots of works for making page creation much faster. One of the most critical decision for us was to rebuild the admin code of SP Page Builder (Pro). We also removed all unnecessary DOMs from the admin code. All of those development steps have made all typical processes like move, select, load and save 100x faster than it was in the previous version of the component.
Google Maps Addon
We've fixed an issue with the Google Maps addon that prevented the map frame to be loaded correctly. Since June 22, 2016, Google Maps API no longer support keyless access. Active domains created before June 22, 2016, continue to be able to access the Google Maps JavaScript API, Static Maps API, and Street View Image API without an API key. They are not affected by keyless access being unavailable for new domains. Newly requested Google API Key field has been added. You have to understand that the Google team regularly updates the Google Maps API with new features, bug fixes, and performance improvements. Now we've implemented the latest version.
You can generate your API key from this Google link.
Feature addon - improved
We've fixed SEO/WCAG issue in the Feature addon. Now images have ALT description taken from Addon title. The ALT attribute provides alternative information for an image if a user for some reason cannot view it (because of slow connection, an error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader). According to WCAG 2.0 Guideline - All non-text content (for example images) that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose.
Download and re-install
Please download the latest version (Free or Pro) of SP Page Builder and update the old one. >> Direct link to Page Builder subpage
SP Page Builder 2.0 - the future is near
And what about SP Page Builder 2.0 you may ask. We're still hard working on this project, which is above 60% done. In the upcoming version, we will offer much more benefits than you have seen so far. We've posted a screenshot of the new design below, where you can see the improved UI. In the Page Builder 2.0, we've used ReactJS as the JavaScript engine, which will make your drag-and-drop site building much faster with instant updates (showing the updates right away without reloading the whole page, just like Gmail's standard web version). The Page Builder 2.0 to bring article support, improved UX and much more features for developers.
We hope you will find the SP Page Builder 2.0 more enjoyable and useful. Just allow us a bit more time to complete the final touches.