Step 1.
Developer version experience builder ( YES )
Every JS Widget is either already deprecated or is about to be. Starting next year, JS Widgets are going to start being Thanos snapped out of existence.
https://community.esri.com/t5/experience-builder-custom-widgets/bg-p/eb-custom-widgetsblog-board
Step 2.
If you just spend million $$$ to develope custom widget ( in experience builder developer edition ), how to keep you investment ?
Option 1.
To convert widget to component is not technically possible. You made very wrong investment on experience builder in the beginning. Now you have to accept the consequence.
Option 2.
As long as you don't upgrade, it is still working. It will stop working until either of them happened:
1) you upgrade to a newer version of experience builder (developer edition)
2) you upgrade your arcgis enterprise portal to a newer version.
Step 3.
Build-in edition experience builder ( NO )
If you don't have custom widget, if you don't use developer edition, if you use build-in version of experience builder,
You should not worry about it. Because esri is responsible for widget to component transition for you. Without your notice, esri will silently do transtion for your build-in experience builder.
https://community.esri.com/t5/experience-builder-custom-widgets/future-breaking-change-javascript-sdk-widgets-are/bc-p/1598567
Build-in version is when you click a few button on arcgis online or portal to create a experience builder. Without writing any source code, just configure it by a few click, use about 5 minutes to create a experience builder app. That is build-in version.
Step 4.
Why you should spend million $$$ invest on Arcgis Javascript API ?
Short answer:
upgradable with no code change or minimum code change.
from v4.32 to v4.33 require minium code change due to widget convert to component
from v4.00 to 4.1x to 4.2x up to 4.32 almost no code change needed.
because of no code change, your investment will last 20 years easily.
Step 5.
Long story:
Experience builder is build out model, it is design for no-code use. It is like tesla model S, It is ready to drive but not upgradable. You can not upgrade model S to model Y. If you want to use newer model Y, you have to lose your investment on model S. Experience builder last 2 years before it be out of date. ESRI release newer version of experience builder every 6 months. Your experience builder is not upgradable to newer version. There is hack to upgrade, but it will break here or there, good luck.
Step 6.
Arcgis JS SDK is building parts. It is like car parts, you buy motor, battery, door, wheel, frame then you build your own car. When tesla release a new engine, you just replace engine with minimum work. So you don't lose your investment. You just upgrade tire, engine.
Step 7.
Who invest million $$$ on experience builder?
Not every but most of federal agency, you can find one here
HRSA (medicare medicaid grant & funding GIS database)
Not every but most of state agency, you can find one here
1).caltrans DOT gis asset 2).rebuildca project map playground
Step 8.
The good news
This could be a perfect excuse to get another million $$$ from tax payer to fix this mess.
Step 9.
Why not just keep invest on another version of experience builder, 2 years later you will get into another mess, another excuse, another million $$$ from tax payer. So you can keep your job to fix all of the mess. While no one can blame you, because you blame ESRI for all the mess.
Step 10.
Current Google map api version 3 has not been changed since 2009, 16 years ago. That means, if you write a google map website in 2009, it will still runs good today without any change during last 16 years ! Looks like google will keep V3 for ever, no plan to change so far.
If you invest google map api 16 years ago, it will last up to date.
Step 11.
This does not means google map has not change over past 16 years.
On the opposite, google map api update weekly, monthly, quaterly with different build number,
https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/versions
Step 12.
The change is under the hook, the interface is not change. Google change inside of the engine, inside of transmission, but not change the way you drive the car, gas pedal, brake pedal, steering wheel, has no change at all since 2009.
Step 13.
If you invest million $$$ on Arcgis Javascript API on 2016, your investment will last at least 10 years so far, because 4th generation api released on 2016.
Step 14.
If you invest million $$$ on Arcgis Javascript API on 2010, your investment will last 6 to 14 years because 3rd generation api released on 2010, retired in 2024.
