Introducing IDE-grade script editing in Qlik Cloud (Public Preview)

[OlivierDubois]

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If you write Qlik script, this one's for you. We're introducing a modern editing experience in the Data load editor and Script editor in Qlik Cloud, bringing IDE-grade features to script authoring and making your day-to-day scripting more efficient and intuitive.

This is one of the first features to go through our new Public Preview program. Your feedback will help shape the experience as we move toward general availability. See "How to activate it" below to get started.

What's new

• Dark mode: The most requested editor improvement, now available for the script editor area.
• Improved syntax highlighting: A revised color scheme for better contrast and readability.
• Code folding: Collapse and expand LOAD statements, subroutines, FOR loops, and other blocks.
• Better code navigation: Go to Definition, Go to References, Peek options, and a minimap.
• Syntax hints on hover: Get inline help and doc links, right where you're working.
• Autocomplete: Get suggestions for keywords, functions, variables, and table names, now in a resizable popover.
• Command Palette: Quickly access editing actions like multi-cursor selection, folding, and word wrap.
• Code refactoring: Use Rename Symbol to rename a table, variable, or other recognized construct across your script.

A number of keyboard shortcuts have been added or changed as part of this experience. See Keyboard shortcuts in Data load editor and Script for the full list.

For a full overview of the new experience, see Working with the next-gen script editor.

How to activate it

Feature previews must first be enabled for your tenant, and your tenant admin needs to grant you access via the Feature preview permission. If you don't see Feature previews in your profile, check with your tenant admin, as described in the documentation: Managing feature preview for your tenant.

Once you have access, go to your User profile > Feature previews and activate the "Next-gen script editor" preview feature. See the Feature preview documentation for details on how the program works.

From there, you can switch between the new experience and the classic editor at any time using the "Next-gen editor" menu in the toolbar of the Data load editor and Script editor. 

What to focus on when experimenting

We're especially interested in hearing about:

• How the new code navigation, code folding, and refactoring features hold up on scripts representative of your typical use cases, especially larger or more complex ones
• What you think of the updated color scheme and dark mode
• Anything that feels different from what you're used to, even small things

A couple of things we already know

• Dark mode currently applies to the script editor area. The rest of the Qlik Cloud interface, including the navigation bar and some dialogs, continue to use the standard (light) interface.
• Multi-cursor selection behavior has changed from the classic editor. Check the shortcuts doc for details.

How to share feedback

Use the in-product feedback button, either in the Feature previews dialog or when clicking on the "Preview" badge available in the Data load editor and Script editor.

We built this because Qlik script deserves an editing experience as capable as the language itself. Try it out, tell us how it feels, and help us make it better.