Alternatives to Esri's Experience Builder?

[ochia22]

I have been using Esri's Experience Builder to develop a GIS platform for my company. I use it because I'm not an expert Javascript developer, which seems like you need to be to do enhancements in EB or to develop your own Javascript/Typescript-based GIS platforms. Its essentially WYSIWYG.

Unfortunately, EB is garbage, to be blunt. It is awfully buggy, poorly documented, and produces unexpected behavior. I am wondering if there are alternatives to EB that would help with developing web applications which interface with my web map in ArcGIS Online? Thanks!

[ChristopherCounsell]

I disagree that experience builder is garbage. Would recommend first watching the developer summit videos introducing it, as they'll cover a lot of the design intentions. It helped me navigate the builder layout.

If you have specific issues or feedback, we may be able to assist, or there is technical support.

I'd recommend using the new JS API apps/builders. ArcGIS Dashboards, Story Maps, instant apps. Though it's more a case of aligning purpose of the web map application to the builder. Experience, story telling, quick simple purpose app, infographics etc. 

Often an issue is if you try and build all the solution into one app. Keep it simple, purposeful and on brand. A web application shouldn't be a 'platform', and you may need to consider building more apps to achieve your goal. Hard to say without know the context and issues you have.

There is also Web AppBuilder and other classic app templates, but I would not recommend them as they are being phased out.

Beyond that, lots of resources if you want to build from scratch or extend functionality. Some extra effort involved - especially a web server to host - but I don't think you or any other readers should underestimate their capability to build a custom web application over time!

[DanCopKac]

If we're gonna be honest, ExB or EB may not be "garbage", but it is entirely inadequate, and really quite terrible as far as porting products goes within the tech industry. Remember, video game developers get crucified for porting over a PS2 game to modern PCs if they so much as don't support modern screen resolutions or 60 fps. The community in my opinion has been more than patient with Esri's nonsensical functionality matrix parity with WAB and their timelines. 

For just ONE example, the ExB Draw widget is a hollow shell of its former self, ported only in name. And all this is just from me trying to port over some apps in June of 2024, and only investigating ONE widget... Recall that the singular draw widget has been released OVER 18 months ago at this point. 

ExB

• The Draw widget erases all your drawings if you resize the window. (Like if you're dragging the browser window from one screen to another, multitasking, etc.) Literally showstopper. 
• You can't label drawings or place any form of text. What's the use case for a bunch of points on a map without labels? Just to clutter my map screenshot and make it look busy? 
• Doesn't allow exports and sharing. 
• Doesn't save drawings persistently through sessions (more a loss functionality of App State that was available in WAB).

WAB

• Had all of the above, and it didn't randomly erase all your hard work drawing. 

That functionality matrix must be intentionally misleading. The person who wrote "Yes" on the matrix sheet for Draw widget... I can only imagine what's required to meet the "Yes" standard for the other functions...  😂🤣😂