Published on October 23, 2023.

Over the past few months, I've had several NetSuite partners and developers reach out to me about Xojo. They've read some of my Xojo-related blog posts, and some have seen the Xojo webinar that I was a guest on last year. When they reach out, their question is usually something along the lines of, "How are you using Xojo?"

So I thought I'd write this post to answer that question, and to inspire other NetSuite developers to check Xojo out.

My NetSuite-Related Work

In the past, most of my NetSuite-related work involved developing apps that ran natively on the platform itself. But that has changed significantly over the past few years, and increasingly so in the past year. Most of my current work involves developing solutions that run outside of NetSuite itself. I integrate these "external applications" with NetSuite using either SuiteAPI or SuiteTalk REST.

The external applications that I'm developing are a variety of types. For example, I'm developing macOS, Windows, and even Raspberry Pi desktop apps. I've started developing mobile apps, primarily for Android devices. A good portion of my work involves developing Web apps, Web services, and middleware solutions.

And to develop all of these types of applications, I'm using Xojo.

Xojo's Increasing Importance

With Xojo, I don't need to be an expert in the targets and platforms that I'm developing for. I don't need to be a "macOS developer" or a "Windows developer" or an "Android developer." Instead, I'm a "software developer" that uses a tool that empowers me to develop a wide variety of solutions for a wide variety of platforms. And my focus, of course, is on developing solutions that integrate with NetSuite.

Xojo not only makes developing those types of solutions possible, but it also makes it possible for me to apply rapid application development techniques to my work. This allows me to design, develop, and deliver solutions quickly and affordably.

And that's exactly what my clients are looking for.

You can see why Xojo has become increasingly important to me. I would call Xojo my "secret weapon," but I've been doing everything I can to promote it - especially to other developers in the NetSuite community. If it's a secret weapon, then I've been doing a terrible job of keeping it a secret.

On Going "All In"

Members of the Xojo community often complain about Xojo's price. I think it's important to keep in mind that "expensive" is a subjective term. Whether or not something is expensive or not depends on how much value it brings to you and your work.

And for me, Xojo is valuable. Extremely valuable.

That's one of the reasons why I've recently upgraded my Xojo license from "Pro" to "Pro Plus." I also upgraded because I'm fully committed to Xojo, I'm supportive of the company and the platform, and most importantly, because Xojo is now such an essential part of the work that I do.

More, Later...

I believe there's a lot of opportunity for Xojo in the NetSuite space, and similarly, that Xojo unlocks a lot of opportunity for NetSuite developers - especially those who are starting to "think outside of the NetSuite box." Xojo's flexibility, power, and affordability make it a great rapid application development / low code tool for NetSuite developers.

I'll be writing more about the NetSuite-related work that I'm doing with Xojo. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me, and I'll do my best to help.