NewEconoLabs has begun development of a new version of NeoRay, a browser-based debugger for NEO contract developers. The new version, slated for release in September, aims to increase the utility and ease-of-use for developers.

Interface Improvements

In a conversation with NEO News Today, NEL shared its vision and design goals for the update. Particular focus will be placed on the interface, addressing large areas of empty space currently found in the live version. The new version will provide an enlarged output area, making the interface more in line with the habits of developers and displaying more detailed feedback on the results of an operation.

NEL also aims to address the current fractured design of the suite; the contract code editing, calling, and debugging sections are each independent from another, which makes them less accessible for developers. The new version will improve on this by tying each element together, with deployment, invocation, and debugging options available directly after selection of the contract code.

Python Support

Another notable improvement is the addition of Python support, one of the most popular languages to use for NEO contract development. The current version only offers compatibility with C#, so the integration of a Python compiler is expected to improve NeoRay’s accessibility further. Additionally, the C# compiler will receive optimizations and keyword hints to improve coding efficiency.

Other Changes

NEL also intends to address difficulties in the format of contract calls, which can cause parsing errors with only a single missing parenthesis. When a large number of parameters are required by the contract, handwritten JSON files can become difficult to manage, especially for novice developers.

To address this shortcoming, NEL has created an automatic generator for contract calls. Users will only need to select the transaction parameter types they wish to use, and the JSON will be created for them. This is hoped to greatly reduce the complexity of the testing process.

NEL will also add support for local files, allowing users to open code files that have been compiled locally so that they can then be easily invoked and debugged using NeoRay in the web browser.

A final notable improvement is the integration of the Teemo Chrome extension wallet, which will be used as the login module. A deployment interface will be added to Teemo alongside other necessary functionalities, allowing developers to easily interact with their contracts.

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