Comparison of Bonita 7.x and Bonita 6.x

Find out the main differences between versions 7 and 6 and learn about feature improvements in Bonita Studio, Portal, and Engine.

Packaging comparison

In Bonita, two versions are available for download:

Bonita Subscription Pack edition version for Enterprise, Performance, Efficiency, and Teamwork editions
and Bonita Community edition version for the Community edition

For each version, there are several packaging options. See the Installation overview.

Concept comparison

Feature Bonita 6.x Bonita 7.x

Feature	Bonita 6.x	Bonita 7.x
Contract	Not in 6.x	A contract defines a clear separation between the process and the forms, making it possible to update the process user interface on the live system. See Contracts
Live update	Not in 6.x	A live update is a change that is applied to a process or application on the live system, without needing to pause the platform or take a process out of service. See Live update
Form mapping	Not in 6.x	A form is mapped to process instantiation, to case overview, or to a task. Any form that respects the relevant contract can be used. This separation between the process and the forms makes it possible to to the live update feature
Business data	A process or application can use business data managed by the Bonita Platform. (Subscription editions only)	Now available in all editions. See BDM
Actor mapping	Each actor in a process can be mapped to a Group, Role, Membership or User within an organization. The mapping can be refined using an actor filter.	No change. Anonymous users are not supported anymore. See Actor mapping and Actor filtering
Environments	An Environment is a set of configuration information for a particular process. It contains the following information: actor mapping, actor filters, parameters, connector implementations, dependencies for processes and applications. By having these Environments set up in the Studio, the developer can export processes that are ready to be run for a specific target platform. At any point in time, there is only one active Environment in Studio	No change. See Environments
Parameters	A Parameter is configuration information that can be attached to a process. Parameters are configured for an Environment. Parameter values can be updated at runtime.	Now available in all editions. See Parameters and Environments
Workspace API	The Workspace API is provided to generate `.bar` files from the command line, ready for production. .bar files are for deployment only and cannot be read by the studio. .bos files are for Studio interchange only and cannot be deployed to production. Each file format is optimal in terms of content and is optimized for the target use case	The Workspace API retains its 6.x capabilities. Moreover, it can export forms that are mapped to process instantiations or tasks, and pages that are mapped to a case overview. It cannot export application pages that are not elements of a process. For this reason the Workspace API has been deprecated in 7.7.0, and is replaced by the LA builder included in the tooling suite of Bonita Continuous Delivery add-on. See Automating builds

Contract

Not in 6.x

A contract defines a clear separation between the process and the forms, making it possible to update the process user interface on the live system. See Contracts

Live update

Not in 6.x

A live update is a change that is applied to a process or application on the live system, without needing to pause the platform or take a process out of service. See Live update

Form mapping

Not in 6.x

A form is mapped to process instantiation, to case overview, or to a task. Any form that respects the relevant contract can be used. This separation between the process and the forms makes it possible to to the live update feature

Business data

A process or application can use business data managed by the Bonita Platform. (Subscription editions only)

Now available in all editions. See BDM

Actor mapping

Each actor in a process can be mapped to a Group, Role, Membership or User within an organization. The mapping can be refined using an actor filter.

No change. Anonymous users are not supported anymore. See Actor mapping and Actor filtering

Environments

An Environment is a set of configuration information for a particular process. It contains the following information: actor mapping, actor filters, parameters, connector implementations, dependencies for processes and applications. By having these Environments set up in the Studio, the developer can export processes that are ready to be run for a specific target platform. At any point in time, there is only one active Environment in Studio

No change. See Environments

Parameters

A Parameter is configuration information that can be attached to a process. Parameters are configured for an Environment. Parameter values can be updated at runtime.

Now available in all editions. See Parameters and Environments

Workspace API

The Workspace API is provided to generate .bar files from the command line, ready for production. .bar files are for deployment only and cannot be read by the studio. .bos files are for Studio interchange only and cannot be deployed to production. Each file format is optimal in terms of content and is optimized for the target use case

The Workspace API retains its 6.x capabilities. Moreover, it can export forms that are mapped to process instantiations or tasks, and pages that are mapped to a case overview. It cannot export application pages that are not elements of a process. For this reason the Workspace API has been deprecated in 7.7.0, and is replaced by the LA builder included in the tooling suite of Bonita Continuous Delivery add-on. See Automating builds

Feature improvements in Bonita Studio

Feature	Bonita 6.x	Bonita 7.x
UI Designer	Not in 6.x	A new development environment for creating sophisticated, data-driven pages and forms for process-based applications. The UI Designer is accessed through the studio. See live update. The 6.x forms were supported up to the 7.7.x, so you could continue to run 6.x processes and ease migration.
Process migration	N/A	A process created in Bonita 6.x could run in 7.x (up to 7.7.x) without any modification. Starting with Bonita 7.8, you must use contracts created from outside the Studio, or migrate the forms. See Contracts and Migrate a form from 6.x
Application theme and layout	Not in 6.x	You can create custom layout and theme for a process-based application constructed from UI Designer pages and forms. See Appearance
REST API extensions	Not in 6.x	You can create custom REST API extensions, to supplement the standard REST API interfaces or to optimize REST API calls used UI Designer pages and forms. See REST API extensions
Improved UI	Not in 6.x	Improvements to the Details panel so that tab structure reflects typical workflows
Variable definition	Easy variable definition for process data, using the expression editor to set the initial or default values	Easy variable definition for both business data and process data. See Business data model and Process variables.
Expression Editor	This expression editor enables a developer to define a constant, an expression, a comparison or a Groovy script. Very often, there is no need to resort to a Groovy script, a constant, a comparison or an expression being enough. A number of predefined expressions are provided. Convenience Groovy functions are provided to help write scripts more quickly. These functions provide simple access to frequently used information, such as information on the current user and the process initiator. It is now very easy to retrieve the manager or the email of the current user or the process initiator	No changes to the expression editor. It is not available from the UI Designer. See Using expressions and scripts
Validation	The validation view shows all validation errors in the same location in the Studio. This enables developers to quickly locate validation errors wherever they appear	The existence of mapped forms is verified, but the form definition is not validated for forms created with the UI Designer. See Process testing overview
Iteration	Iteration can be by loop or by multi-instantiation. Multi-instantiation no longer requires a specific Bonita connector nor implementation of a specific java class. You can use a variable of type Collection or specify the cardinality using an expression. The completion condition is a simple expression	No change. See Iteration
Connectors	A number of standard connector are provided, and it is possible to create your own custom connectors	No change. See Connectivity
Organization for testing	Several organizations can be defined in the Studio, for test purposes. The organization can be then pushed to the Portal (published) for testing, or exported and imported into the Portal for deployment	No change. See Organization overview
Anonymous user	You can define a process that has an unknown initiator.	Not supported but you can configure a Guest user in Bonita Portal to achieve a similar behavior.

Feature

Bonita 6.x

Bonita 7.x

UI Designer

Not in 6.x

A new development environment for creating sophisticated, data-driven pages and forms for process-based applications. The UI Designer is accessed through the studio. See live update. The 6.x forms were supported up to the 7.7.x, so you could continue to run 6.x processes and ease migration.

Process migration

N/A

A process created in Bonita 6.x could run in 7.x (up to 7.7.x) without any modification. Starting with Bonita 7.8, you must use contracts created from outside the Studio, or migrate the forms. See Contracts and Migrate a form from 6.x

Application theme and layout

Not in 6.x

You can create custom layout and theme for a process-based application constructed from UI Designer pages and forms. See Appearance

REST API extensions

Not in 6.x

You can create custom REST API extensions, to supplement the standard REST API interfaces or to optimize REST API calls used UI Designer pages and forms. See REST API extensions

Improved UI

Not in 6.x

Improvements to the Details panel so that tab structure reflects typical workflows

Variable definition

Easy variable definition for process data, using the expression editor to set the initial or default values

Easy variable definition for both business data and process data. See Business data model and Process variables.

Expression Editor

This expression editor enables a developer to define a constant, an expression, a comparison or a Groovy script. Very often, there is no need to resort to a Groovy script, a constant, a comparison or an expression being enough. A number of predefined expressions are provided. Convenience Groovy functions are provided to help write scripts more quickly. These functions provide simple access to frequently used information, such as information on the current user and the process initiator. It is now very easy to retrieve the manager or the email of the current user or the process initiator

No changes to the expression editor. It is not available from the UI Designer. See Using expressions and scripts

Validation

The validation view shows all validation errors in the same location in the Studio. This enables developers to quickly locate validation errors wherever they appear

The existence of mapped forms is verified, but the form definition is not validated for forms created with the UI Designer. See Process testing overview

Iteration

Iteration can be by loop or by multi-instantiation. Multi-instantiation no longer requires a specific Bonita connector nor implementation of a specific java class. You can use a variable of type Collection or specify the cardinality using an expression. The completion condition is a simple expression

No change. See Iteration

Connectors

A number of standard connector are provided, and it is possible to create your own custom connectors

No change. See Connectivity

Organization for testing

Several organizations can be defined in the Studio, for test purposes. The organization can be then pushed to the Portal (published) for testing, or exported and imported into the Portal for deployment

No change. See Organization overview

Anonymous user

You can define a process that has an unknown initiator.

Not supported but you can configure a Guest user in Bonita Portal to achieve a similar behavior.

Feature improvements in Bonita Portal

Feature	Bonita 6.x	Bonita 7.x
Dynamic reconfiguration	The process configuration is defined in Bonita Studio. With the Enterprise or the Performance Edition, you can modify the configuration in Bonita Portal after the process is deployed. You can dynamically update the following configuration items: actor mapping (all editions), parameters (Enterprise or Performance edition), connector implementation (Enterprise or Performance edition), dependencies (Enterprise or Performance edition), actor filter replay by Java call (Enterprise or Performance edition)	New live update feature expands the dynamic reconfiguration to other editions and to other items. The following items can be updated "live": Groovy scripts (Efficiency, Performance and Enterprise editions), process forms (Efficiency, Performance and Enterprise editions), actor mapping (all editions), parameters (all editions), connector implementation (all editions), dependencies (all editions), actor filter replay by Java call (Enterprise or Performance edition). See Live update
User interface	For users, a simple interface for starting cases and performing tasks. For administrators, an interface for managing processes and applications, and the organization, with views for monitoring process and case status	No change for users. For administrators, the case process and case monitoring views have been improved, new live update features have been added, and the application editor has been improved. See Bonita Portal interface overview
Task management	Users can choose how to manage tasks. They can perform one task after another in list order, or select my tasks for themselves then perform them in the order they choose.	No change for users. An administrator or process manager (or a user with an appropriate custom profile) can see at a glance that status of all tasks in a case, and can perform a task for a user. See Manage a task
Mobile web portal	A specially designed mobile interface to Bonita Portal enables users to carry out tasks from a browser on mobile devices	No change. See Mobile overview
Subtasks	A subtask is a part of an existing task. The assignee can create a subtask (to request missing information for example) and must assign it to a specific person, by name. The assignee can be the creator	Supported up to 7.2.4. No more subtasks can be created starting from 7.3.0, but open process instances execute them correctly
Replay tasks and connectors in error	It is now possible for the administrator to replay a task or a connector that is in error. This enables a resolution of failed tasks and better service to end users. and connectors in error	No change. See Process configuration overview and Mobile overview
Anonymous user	You can start a process orcomplete task as an anonymous user, that is, without being registered in the organization. For example, on an e-commerce site, a new user can browse stock and save items to a basket, then register with the site if they want to save their basket for later or to buy something	You can configure a Guest user and use it to make some applications and process instantiation form accessible without having to log in.

Feature

Bonita 6.x

Bonita 7.x

Dynamic reconfiguration

The process configuration is defined in Bonita Studio. With the Enterprise or the Performance Edition, you can modify the configuration in Bonita Portal after the process is deployed. You can dynamically update the following configuration items: actor mapping (all editions), parameters (Enterprise or Performance edition), connector implementation (Enterprise or Performance edition), dependencies (Enterprise or Performance edition), actor filter replay by Java call (Enterprise or Performance edition)

New live update feature expands the dynamic reconfiguration to other editions and to other items. The following items can be updated "live": Groovy scripts (Efficiency, Performance and Enterprise editions), process forms (Efficiency, Performance and Enterprise editions), actor mapping (all editions), parameters (all editions), connector implementation (all editions), dependencies (all editions), actor filter replay by Java call (Enterprise or Performance edition). See Live update

User interface

For users, a simple interface for starting cases and performing tasks. For administrators, an interface for managing processes and applications, and the organization, with views for monitoring process and case status

No change for users. For administrators, the case process and case monitoring views have been improved, new live update features have been added, and the application editor has been improved. See Bonita Portal interface overview

Task management

Users can choose how to manage tasks. They can perform one task after another in list order, or select my tasks for themselves then perform them in the order they choose.

No change for users. An administrator or process manager (or a user with an appropriate custom profile) can see at a glance that status of all tasks in a case, and can perform a task for a user. See Manage a task

Mobile web portal

A specially designed mobile interface to Bonita Portal enables users to carry out tasks from a browser on mobile devices

No change. See Mobile overview

Subtasks

A subtask is a part of an existing task. The assignee can create a subtask (to request missing information for example) and must assign it to a specific person, by name. The assignee can be the creator

Supported up to 7.2.4. No more subtasks can be created starting from 7.3.0, but open process instances execute them correctly

Replay tasks and connectors in error

It is now possible for the administrator to replay a task or a connector that is in error. This enables a resolution of failed tasks and better service to end users. and connectors in error

No change. See Process configuration overview and Mobile overview

Anonymous user

You can start a process orcomplete task as an anonymous user, that is, without being registered in the organization. For example, on an e-commerce site, a new user can browse stock and save items to a basket, then register with the site if they want to save their basket for later or to buy something

You can configure a Guest user and use it to make some applications and process instantiation form accessible without having to log in.

Feature improvements in Bonita Engine

Feature	Bonita 6.x	Bonita 7.0/1/2	Bonita 7.3
bonita_home	A separate bonita_home for each edition and for cluster	A common bonita_home used for all editions, simplifying download and installation. Improved structure for bonita_home/server that is easier to maintain and customize.	No more bonita_home. Relevant information is stored in the database, increasing performance and easing future migrations. See platform setup

Feature

Bonita 6.x

Bonita 7.0/1/2

Bonita 7.3

bonita_home

A separate bonita_home for each edition and for cluster

A common bonita_home used for all editions, simplifying download and installation. Improved structure for bonita_home/server that is easier to maintain and customize.

No more bonita_home. Relevant information is stored in the database, increasing performance and easing future migrations. See platform setup