Kentico launches Xperience 13

Keeping the classics 

As a Digital Experience Platform (DXP), Xperience 13 retains all the usual content management capabilities, along with an improved enterprise level marketing suite. The Xperience marketing suite is an entirely in-house toolkit for marketing automation, which means harmonious coordination between data collection and smart forms, contact management, lead scoring, follow-up communications, and more. And that’s without the need for additional integrations.  That’s what’s stayed. What’s gone, then? There have been some significant tweaks to the technology running this DXP, which will keep it up to speed or even ahead of the pack compared with other platforms serving the same market. And there is a new licensing model, too, which is a game changer for Kentico. 

The core of the matter 

The main technical change in version 13 is the move to an ASP.NET Core framework. That means that the bulk of the change isn’t visible to most users. But .NET Core is designed to push platform performance that little bit more. And it’s not just about doing things faster. Kentico CEO Petr Palas says, ‘.NET Core will allow developers to build websites and apps on modern technology that is more modular and easier to deploy. This technological transformation also directly impacts CIOs and CFOs in their strategic decisions. They can now stand assured that, with Xperience, they are investing in the technology of the future.’  The framework is also devised to ensure the platform built on it is keeping pace with incremental evolution in technology rather than taking occasional big leaps. This is a pivot that Xperience 13 is embracing fully. This version is their last big new release. From here on out, Xperience will have more frequent but smaller successional updates that are included in a new subscription licensing model. 

Future proofing tech and finance 

This new subscription model means licensees will spread the cost of the out across monthly payments instead of one big upfront purchase. As a result, Xperience 13 will exist more as a service rather than as a product. Kentico will generate not just their usual security patches but also regular, smaller updates that are included in that monthly fee. This small-scale, continuous progression replaces the older standard of releasing an entirely new version every couple of years, which reduced support and security for older versions.   It also has both short- and long-term financial viability in mind for clients. For companies just starting with Xperience or scaling up to enterprise-level requirements, version 13 offers entry at an operational cost instead of a capital one. And the ability to maintain the most up-to-date version of Xperience using operational funds means digital strategy is built into annual budget planning. This new system may benefit some organisations better than others depending on how they already strategise.  Is Kentico Xperience 13 the right fit for your company? Get in touch, and let’s talk through the changes.