[VMware] Getting Started with Clarity UI

As you know when you read my blog, I like to develop and script a lot of things. One things that was always hard for me was the design of the user interface. The latest release of my ESXi staging appliance is a good example of that. My design is functional but far from pretty.

When VMware released Clarity UI to open source I got excited. And now, thanks to VMworld US 2017 they released a video where one can get easily started and build a small app with clarity. I was amazed how easy it is to leverage this beautiful design and was just as amazed by Angular. My previous appliance is 100% php and (almost) 0% javascript, so all the dynamic stuff is generated server-side.

I was recently reminded of how poor of a choice it was to develop the xSA on my company’s time because now they own it and I don’t. So I’m planning on working on a new appliance that leverages the clarity UI and have some other great features (I’m thinking of using the REST based API from vSphere 6.5 to do some further configuration outside of the host after a pxeBoot installation of such a host).

Anways, that is the plan and I’m set to learn all about clarity and Angular. If you’re going to VMworld in Barcelona I will be leading a team on monday’s hackathon with the goal of starting on a esxi staging appliance with the clarity UI. So I’m bound to learn a lot there.

If you’re interested in clarity you should check out their video:

The best thing about it: You will build a Star Wars App! If clarity in itself wasn’t amazing enough building a star wars app instead of the traditional “Hello World” app is surely going to motivate you to check it out!

Link to the clarity documentation: Link