Remix v0.21.0 & v0.21.1 Released
Remix Righteously Rebuilt with React
Remix has transitioned to React! Remix had been coded with a very lightweight framework called yo-yo, but yo-yo is no longer being maintained, so for most of 2021 we wiped off our yo and grooved along on our path to React. With this release, we have fully arrived. Although it’s a big milestone for us, for you, gentle users, Remix probably won’t look so different. At least not yet. React gives us a large pot of libraries to draw from.
“Always start out with a larger pot than what you think you need.” — Julia Child
The UX & UI updates in this release are as follows:
Home Tab
Scam Alert
We have put an alert in the home tab about online video scam targeting new Remix users.
There are thousands of videos promoting the opportunity to make some income by setting up front runner liquidity sniping bots in PancakeSwap and other decentralized exchanges. Don’t fall for it. Learn more here.
Back Ups!
We have updated the functionality of the download backup and the restore backup tools. You can access these tools on the home tab. You can also activate the Restore Backup tool in the plugin manager.
Remix stores files in your browser’s local storage. However, this is temporary storage because files are not saved on your computer’s hard drive. A big browser crash can wipe them out. So, it is always wise to back up your work — either by 1. using this download/restore backup tool, 2. using the DGit plugin to push to Git or to IPFS or, 3. by using RemixD to connect the browser to a folder on your hard drive.
The download backup tool will download all of your workspaces into a .zip folder. The restore folder will bring back into Remix the workspaces that you have downloaded.
Optimism which isn’t there, REALLY is there
The Optimism plugin has been removed — not because Optimism doesn’t work with Remix but because the integration no longer needs a plugin. Just select the Optimism chain with Metamask when you deploy and then uhhh, deploy!
And Starkware is NOW here
We now have a Starknet plugin, so you can write contracts in the Cairo language with syntax highlighting, and deploy to the Starkware mainnet or testnets. The shortcut to the Starknet plugin is NOW featured on the homepage.
Vertical Icons Panel
Plugin manager
We moved the plugin manager down to the bottom of the icons panel to be above the settings icon. No matter how many plugins you load the plugin manager will always be in this position.
Scrolling Icons
When we moved Remix’ to a plugin based architecture, there weren’t so many plugins to choose from. Now there are alot! With this release, when you activate a lot of plugins, the icons panel will scroll.
Splash Screen
Now, when you load Remix, the Remix icon along with the version number and a spinner will keep you company. If you want to know the version number, after you have loaded the site, you will also see it at the top of the terminal.
Dragbar
If you are an avid user of Remix, you have probably used the dragbars between each of the panels. But, in case you’ve missed this feature, take note: when you want to increase the size of the side panel, mouse over the panel’s edge, click and drag it! When you want to see more of the terminal than the editor, mouse over its top edge, click and drag it!
We had a problem with the terminal dragbar and Josel95 graciously contributed a fix.
Solidity Unit Testing
Now you can select the root folder as a test directory. To do this, delete the path in the text box, it will set it too: /.
As soon as you update the path, the test files list will be updated.
We have speeded up the running tests. The SUT plugin, now preserves the state of the compiler while running the tests (unless compiler configuration is updated). Because the compiler’s state is preserved, Remix doesn’t need to download the compiler again…and again.
For more context, previously, if you selected 3 test files to run, the SUT plugin would download compiler thrice before running tests on each file. Also, now if you run tests for a file then update it and then run the tests again without updating compiler configuration from compiler plugin, the SUT plugin will not download the compiler but will use the preserved/last compiler.
Thank You Glorious Users
Please report any problems you find in Remix. Also please send us your suggestions about any changes you’d like to see in Remix, or any functionality you think would be useful to add.
For future releases, we are looking for Beta Testers. If you are interested in helping this effort please fill out this questionnaire.
We strive to make the IDE more convenient and easy to use. You can reach us on Twitter, Gitter, or via email (remix@ethereum.org) or Discord.
TIA!
