Hey everyone,
I’m new to Workday Extend and I’ve got a question about its capabilities. Does anyone know if we can use npm packages when building apps in Workday?
My team is looking at options for custom development now that Workday Studio doesn’t support Java beans anymore. Some of our clients are good with JavaScript but not Java. We’re wondering if Extend might be a good fit for more advanced custom work.
We don’t have much experience with Extend yet. So before we suggest it to clients, we want to make sure it’s actually possible to do complex stuff with it. Any info on using npm or other JS tools in Extend would be super helpful!
Thanks for any advice you can share!
I’ve been working with Workday Extend for a while now, and I can confirm that direct npm package usage isn’t supported. However, don’t let that discourage you. Extend offers a robust set of built-in libraries and APIs that cover many common development needs. For more advanced functionality, you can leverage Workday’s web services or create custom integrations. While it’s not as open as traditional web development, Extend still provides powerful tools for creating sophisticated applications within the Workday ecosystem. Consider exploring Workday’s documentation and developer resources to get a better sense of what’s possible with Extend before proposing it to clients.
hey Tom, welcome to the workday world! from what i know, extend doesn’t support npm packages directly. it’s more of a closed ecosystem. but you can still do a lot with javascript in extend. maybe look into web services integration for more complex stuff? good luck with your projects!
As someone who’s been knee-deep in Workday Extend development, I can share some insights. While it’s true that npm packages aren’t directly supported, Extend isn’t as limiting as it might seem at first glance.
I’ve found that the Workday-provided libraries and APIs are quite comprehensive. They cover a lot of ground, especially for typical enterprise app needs. For more complex requirements, I’ve had success combining these built-in tools with custom JavaScript modules.
One approach that’s worked well for my team is to pre-build certain functionalities using npm packages locally, then port the core logic to Extend. It’s not a perfect solution, but it allows us to leverage some external libraries indirectly.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of Workday’s web services. They’ve been a lifesaver for integrating more advanced features that aren’t natively available in Extend.
It’s definitely a different mindset from traditional web development, but once you get the hang of it, you can create some pretty impressive custom solutions within the Workday ecosystem.