Visualization Extensions – Enhancing analytics value, now available in the cloud

[QlikSenseUpdates]

At Qlik, enriching the analytics experience through visualizations is a key way we help accelerate insight to action for our end users.  Recognizing that we can’t make a visualization for every possible scenario, we provide a robust collection of APIs to make custom visualizations to support any use case our customers imagine.

[QlikSenseUpdates]

With Qlik APIs, software partners and customers develop third-party extensions in several areas to enhance our data analytics platform.  Visualization extensions deliver great value to end-users because they enable visual storytelling in a more compelling way, and compliment standard visualizations that come out of the box. With the February 2020 release of Qlik, our customers in the cloud can benefit from visualization extensions in all SaaS editions of Qlik Sense. 

Unfamiliar or new to Qlik?  Visualization extensions are visualizations you create through custom code with APIs that Qlik provides through its open API initiative.   Anyone can build an extension that interacts with the Qlik Associative Engine in exactly the same way Qlik’s own visualizations do.  What does this mean?  You can develop and build without constraints because the APIs connect to the Qlik Associative Engine and visualization interfaces using JavaScript. 

Developers have contributed over 700 projects to our open-source repository of reusable components, Qlik Branch. Some of the most commonly found extensions are visualization extensions. Uploading them to Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows or SaaS editions of Qlik Sense is a snap through the interface of the extension in the management console.  Other extensions focus on automating back-end operations like reloads and task management, monitoring, and governance.  And a new class of extension, analytics connectors, are emerging with AI and machine-learning capabilities.  These server-side extensions (SSE) allow Qlik’s unique data engine to communicate with models written in R, Python, and others to perform data science activities.  OEM partner MSL Solutions link uses Qlik’s APIs and an SSE to connect to R in their hospitality offerings.

Visualization extensions are the first phase of extensibility available in SaaS editions of Qlik Sense. If you want to find, explore and learn more about extensions to add to your Qlik instance, developer.qlik.com is your go-to destination.   While many visualization extensions are open source and community-supported, several Qlik partners are members of TED, our trusted extension developer program where partners submit their solutions within a certification process.  This process includes testing the extension against versions of Qlik Sense for stability and security before receiving the trusted extension developer badge.   An important point to keep in mind is support for extensions is the responsibility of the extension author. Qlik supports the APIs extension developers use to make and surface their solutions.  If you are ready to go and want to install an extension in a SaaS edition of Qlik Sense – watch the video

In summary:

• Different extensions are usable today in Qlik Sense Enterprise for Windows and now with the February 2020 release, developers will be able to use visualization extensions in all SaaS editions of Qlik Sense.
• Qlik offers one of the most robust and proven set of APIs of any analytics vendor in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for BI, learn more about our APIs here.
• Are you a developer? Start your journey at developer.qlik.com and learn all about extending and integrating analytics in your applications today.

Jeff Goldberg

Sr Product Manager