LEONARDI

LEONARDI is a cool framework that helps you build GUI applications quickly and easily. It covers all the software layers you usually deal with, making your life easier!

What Can You Do with LEONARDI?

With LEONARDI, you can start by describing your business model using either LEONARDI Studio or XML. Then, you can add some specific presentation details and even implement rules using Java. Finally, you can deploy your finished software as a DHTML/AJAX GUI, an Eclipse plug-in, or a Swing desktop application. It's that simple!

The User's Viewpoint

The way we see it is this: for the end user, the GUI is the application! The Graphical User Interface (GUI) is what users interact with, and it's super important because it's how they access all the business features. Naturally, users expect a lot from the GUI—like it being attractive, modern, and easy to use.

User Expectations

Users want their GUIs to make daily tasks easier without any fuss. They expect everything to fit nicely into their tech setup and adapt seamlessly to their business needs. So, for developers, creating a rich and user-friendly interface that meets these needs in specific contexts is key.

The Challenges of GUI Development

Even today, developing GUIs can be pretty tricky. You have old technologies mixed in with new ones; data comes in all shapes and sizes; plus there are various architectures like heavy clients and thin clients out there! With new devices popping up all the time—think smartphones or tablets—there are fresh ways users want to interact with machines.

The Cost of Complexity

A big challenge is keeping development costs down while managing tight deadlines. Did you know that about 50% of code written in new developments relates to MMI? This happens because GUIs are complicated due to event-driven programming depending on context and user profiles. Plus, when prototyping isn't done well or reused effectively, it leads to gaps between what applications offer and what users expect.

MDA's Promise

The Model Driven Architecture (MDA) hasn't quite lived up to its potential in boosting productivity yet. At Lyria, we believe only a model-driven approach can tackle these challenges while keeping business expertise separate from technical stuff. That's why we created LEONARDI, which offers practical solutions for GUI development!