Front-end/UI for 2.0 (?)

[drewda]

There are (at least) three generations of trip-planning UIs for riders:

1. the default UI included in OTP 1.x
2. Backbone-based: https://github.com/conveyal/otp.js
3. React/Redux-based: https://github.com/opentripplanner/otp-react-redux

Should a front-end be included in the OTP repo and default deployments? If so, which generation of UI should be included? Or should OTP only serve a headless API?

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Timing: After the 2.x API (#2622) has been finalized or is well underway.

[drewda]

@demory I think it was you who raised these questions in Boston, so I'll tag you on this issue for the future.

[t2gran]

My opinion on this is that the bundled UI should be reserved for debugging and testing OTP - not production. It should probably be easy for a Java developer with limited knowledge og JS frameworks to maintain.

[abyrd]

The newer (e.g. React-Redux) UIs should provide most of the same functionality and more. So it is worth debating whether we want to maintain three or just one of these.

It's useful to have a readily available UI for testing, but that readily available UI could be the most modern one.

[t2gran]

+1 for removing the bundled GUI. There is good simple alternatives for our usage.

[t2gran]

This was discussed at the OTP Summit 2019 in Oslo and here is a actions and decisions.

THIS IS SUBJECT FOR APPROVAL BY THE PLC - We will recommend this to the PLC at the next meeting.

Actions and decision

• Move existing UI to its own repo from 2.x
• Research the possibility of near-identical shared Netex/GTFS GraphQL structure (Thomas G)
• Research possibilities for code generation or API req/response transforms (for vocabulary substitution) and act upon conclusions, assuming consensus is reached.
  • Thomas G: This is very simple, but the structural differences need more discussion.
• OTP react-redux:
  • add debugging functionality including debug tile layers, freeform request editing (allowing any parameters) (David E)
  • Make minimal otp-react-redux configuration for debugging (included within otp backend repo)
  • Test feasibility of migrating to Graphql API (David E)
• Add API for detailed event-based debugging via request/response cycle (Entur)

[github-actions]

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