Lightning is a Web GL/JavaScript based framework for building high-quality TV Apps with great performance. It is an open-sourced framework available for anyone to download and build their Application. This framework has been specifically built to target lower end set-top boxes which are memory constrained.

The performance of an Application built on Lightning/WebGL outperforms HTML5 Apps, especially when compared to an App built on other frameworks/libraries like React, Redux, Pixi.JS etc. Lightning relies on WebGL/Canvas2D and does not make use of DOM elements which improves performance.

Some of the characteristics and benefits are mentioned below.

Characteristics

• A cross WebGL based framework which works on most browsers and optimized for big screen devices.

• Great performance, also on low end set-top boxes.

• Fast rendering and loading.

• Efficient memory management

• Advanced garbage collection mechanism.

Development

• Innovative, fast and high code quality development principles.

• Develop and test on your local browser or on a Comcast device.

• Development time drastically cut down.

• Easy to learn.

• Easily bundle the same app for other Pay TV/OEM platforms.

Features

• Application framework.

• Render tree (WebGL or Canvas2d)

• Animations toolkit for advanced transitions/visual effects.

• Keypress-based input/focus handling.

• Special effects, custom shaders.

• Pre-integrated with the badger requirements.

Technical Highlights

• Component-based, to help you split up your app in a clean way.

• Static templates offer great overview and fast spawning.

• Not using Virtual DOM in contrast to other frameworks.

• Patching allows convenient Virtual DOM-like patterns without the downsides.

• State Oriented Programming enforce robustness in reactive components.

• Signals and commands provide easy-to-use inter-component communication.

Documentation

Note: The links below are to websites that are not operated by Comcast. Comcast is not responsible for the content or availability of linked sites.

Please find all information on Lightning here

• Lightning core: Documentation here

• Lighting SDK: Documentation here

• Lightning CLI: Documentation here

  • Command Line Interface, intended to make life easier for developers

Support

For any technical questions or support, please use the below:

Create a ticket
E-mail: x1apps_developer@comcast.com