Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS VS VisualEditor

Compare Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS VS VisualEditor and see what are their differences

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS logo Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS

Create custom widgets and themes for Web AppBuilder.

VisualEditor logo VisualEditor

VisualEditor gives you the ability to edit without needing to learn wikitext markup, as is required by the default wikitext editor.
  • Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-01-03
  • VisualEditor Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-16

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS provides a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface which allows users to easily design and configure web applications without needing extensive programming knowledge.
  • Seamless Integration with ArcGIS
    The tool is well-integrated with the ArcGIS platform, enabling easy access to a wide array of GIS data and services directly within the application.
  • Responsive Design
    Applications built with Web AppBuilder are responsive out of the box, meaning they automatically adjust to fit different screen sizes across various devices.
  • Extensive Widgets
    A rich set of pre-built widgets allows users to implement common functionalities like searches, attribute tables, and spatial queries easily.
  • Customization Options
    Advanced users can extend and customize capabilities by creating custom widgets and themes, providing flexibility and control over application functionality and appearance.

Possible disadvantages of Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS

  • Limited Customization for Non-Developers
    For users without development skills, customization options are limited to what is available within the Web AppBuilder, potentially restricting specific functionality needs.
  • Heavy Reliance on ArcGIS Infrastructure
    The toolโ€™s functionality is heavily reliant on Esri's ArcGIS infrastructure, which can be a limitation for organizations wanting more independence from proprietary systems.
  • Performance Concerns
    Complex applications with many layers and widgets can experience performance issues, such as slow loading times, particularly affecting users with limited computing resources.
  • Steeper Learning Curve for Customization
    While the basic interface is user-friendly, creating custom widgets and themes may require a steep learning curve for those not familiar with JavaScript and the ArcGIS API.
  • Updates and Support
    As Esri evolves its technology, users may find themselves needing to upgrade applications frequently, and support can sometimes be limited to official documentation and resources.

VisualEditor features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    VisualEditor provides a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) interface, making it more accessible for users who are not familiar with wiki markup language.
  • Real-Time Editing Feedback
    Changes are immediately visible, allowing users to see how their edits will appear on the page without the need to preview separately.
  • Reduces Entry Barrier
    By simplifying the editing process, VisualEditor invites more contributors who might be intimidated by traditional editing methods.
  • Improved Accessibility
    It enhances accessibility for people with disabilities, as navigating and editing are more straightforward with the visual cues provided.
  • Consistent Style Guide
    Helps maintain a consistent style across articles by embedding templates and standard formats directly into the editing process.

Possible disadvantages of VisualEditor

  • Performance Issues
    VisualEditor can sometimes be slower to load and operate compared to the traditional wikitext editor, especially on large pages.
  • Limited Features
    While convenient, VisualEditor may lack some advanced features available in the traditional markup editor, restricting power users' capabilities.
  • Occasional Bugs
    As with any complex software, users may encounter bugs or glitches that disrupt the editing process.
  • Higher Resource Demand
    VisualEditor requires more computing resources, which can be problematic for users with older devices or slower internet connections.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Users
    Experienced users of the traditional editor might find transitioning to VisualEditor challenging due to different workflows and controls.

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS videos

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS: An Introduction

More videos:

  • Review - Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS: Customizing and Extending
  • Review - Open Source Widgets in Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS

VisualEditor videos

Side-by-side comparison of VisualEditor loading time

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS and VisualEditor)
Text Editors
38 38%
62% 62
Rich Text Editor
39 39%
61% 61
WYSIWYG Editor
44 44%
56% 56
IDEs And Text Editors
38 38%
62% 62

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 1 time since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS mentions (1)

  • City of Brampton GIS App
    It's a custom widget using Web AppBuilder Developer Edition. ESRI has a tutorial for building something like this that might help you get started. Source: over 4 years ago

VisualEditor mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of VisualEditor yet. Tracking of VisualEditor recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Web AppBuilder for ArcGIS and VisualEditor, you can also consider the following products

SunEditor - Pure javascript based WYSIWYG html editor, with no dependencies.

CKEditor - Real-time collaborative future-ready rich text editor

TextControl - Text Control Reporting combines the power of a reporting tool and an easy-to-use WYSIWYG word processor embeddable in .NET applications.

Quill - Powerful, API-driven rich text editor

Mercury Editor - Mercury Editor comes as a Rails Engine, but if you'd like to use Mercury outside of a typical Rails application, you can download these packages and use them.

TinyMCE - TinyMCE is a content editor that functions as a plug-in for Wordpress websites.