Kitto^x - A framework for creating data-driven web applications with Delphi and HTMX

Latest Version 4.0.1 - 09 Apr 2026

Kitto^x allows to create Rich Internet Applications based on a data model that can be mapped onto any database. The client-side part uses HTMX (through webbroker technology) to create a fully AJAX application, allowing you to build standard and advanced data-manipulating forms in a fraction of the time.

Kitto^x uses HTMX as its client-side library: the server generates HTML fragments and HTMX handles partial page updates via AJAX, with no need for a heavy JavaScript framework.

Kitto^x is aimed at Delphi developers that need to create web or mobile applications without delving into the intricacies of HTML, CSS or Javascript, yet it allows access to the bare metal if required.

Kitto^x includes a database-agnostic data-access layer, allowing to create applications that work on any database engine and port applications between database engines.

Kitto^x maintains server-side data stores across HTTP requests, enabling record state tracking, transactional master-detail saving, and blob lazy-loading — ensuring data integrity with atomic database transactions.

A Kitto^x application is described as a set of easily maintained YAML files, keeping definitions abstract and declarative and allowing for future extensions. Business rules are enforced either declaratively or through small javascript fragments on the client, or in Delphi code on the server.

Kitto^x was originally designed by Nando Dessena.

Kitto^x retained some basic concepts but was evolved by Carlo Barazzetta to take advantage of the modern and advanced features provided by HTML and to eliminate the dependency on the ExtJS client library.

The development of Kitto^x is sponsored by Ethea, which uses Kitto^x for projects such as Sport Club Manager application.

Happy Kittoing!

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Full documentation

• Documentation site with 50+ pages
• Pages for all controllers, filters, data concepts, how-to guides, FAQ
• Three example applications: HelloKitto, TasKitto, KEmployee

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Licensing

Kitto^x uses an Open Core licensing model:

• Core (List, Form, Wizard, FlexPanel, routing, database, auth): Apache 2.0 — free for any use, commercial or non-commercial.

• Enterprise Modules (Chart, Calendar, GoogleMap, Dashboard): AGPL-3.0 for open-source applications, or Ethea Commercial License for closed-source applications. Please contact Ethea for detailed informations about commercial license.

• KIDEX (Visual IDE): commercial license only.

See the Licensing page and Enterprise Edition for full details.

Start here for further information.

Visit this site for online demos.

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Release Notes

09 Apr 2026: ver. 4.0.1 Beta

• Fixed Field Rules client-side (ForceUpperCase, ForceCamelCaps, MinValue/MaxValue)
• Fixed PackageGroup
• Fixed modal lookup for Reference fields
• Fixed Example for Apache modules

07 Apr 2026: ver. 4.0.0 Beta (first public release)

First public release of Kitto^x, the fourth generation of the Kitto framework. Complete rewrite of the client-side from ExtJS to HTMX + AlpineJS + TemplatePro, with a new modular server architecture.

Architecture

• HTMX + AlpineJS client: server-generated HTML fragments with partial page updates via AJAX. No heavy JavaScript framework.
• Attribute-Based Routing (RTTI): URL routing via Delphi custom attributes, inspired by MARS/WiRL. Resource classes register in initialization sections; the framework discovers them via RTTI. Dependency injection for request context ([TKXContext]). Dynamic JS/CSS injection via TKXScriptRegistry.
• Open Core licensing: Core (Apache 2.0), Enterprise modules (AGPL-3.0 / Commercial), KIDEX (Commercial only). Separate packages: KittoXCore.dpk and KittoXEnterprise.dpk.
• Server-Side Store: persistent in-session data stores with record state tracking (rsNew, rsClean, rsDirty, rsDeleted), transactional master-detail saving (INSERT/UPDATE/DELETE in a single DB transaction), blob lazy-loading, and store lifecycle management (save/cancel/close/timeout).

Controllers

• List (grid with CRUD toolbar, server-side paging, sorting, column layouts, row colors, grouping)
• GroupingList (collapsible group headers)
• Form (data-aware editing with field pages, detail tabs, ViewMode/EditMode state machine)
• Wizard (multi-step data-aware with Back/Next/Finish, per-step validation)
• BorderPanel, TabPanel, FlexPanel, TreePanel, TilePanel, HtmlPanel, StatusBar, ToolBar
• Enterprise: ChartPanel (Chart.js), CalendarPanel (EventCalendar), GoogleMap (Google Maps JS API), Dashboard (auto-refresh)
• Card View: List controller with TemplateFileName for custom HTML card layouts with full CRUD
• Desktop Embedded Mode: KittoX app inside a WebView2 (TEdgeBrowser) VCL window

Data & Database

• Database agnostic: pluggable via FireDAC (preferred), DBExpress, ADO
• Master-detail transactional save: master + all detail stores persisted in one transaction
• Detail CRUD in memory: add/edit/delete detail records without DB round-trips until final Save All
• Record state after Load: records loaded from DB correctly marked as rsClean
• Server-Side Store cache: blob lazy-load from session store, store released on save/cancel/close/timeout

Forms & Editing

• Form State Machine: ViewMode (Edit / Save All / Close) and EditMode (Save / Cancel) with CSS-based button toggling
• Save-cache endpoint: saves master to memory without DB persistence, enables Save All workflow
• Detail tables: lazy-loaded tabs, auto-built views, FK pre-fill on Add, transactional cascading save
• Unified Editor Factory (Kitto.Html.Editors): centralized HTML input generation shared between Form and FilterPanel
• Help button: configurable via Defaults/Help/HRef in Config.yaml, appears in forms (first button) and list toolbar (after Refresh)

Mobile Support

• Automatic mobile detection: user agent + screen size cookie
• Fullscreen dialogs on mobile: IsModal + Maximized forced for all fragment views/forms via AdjustControllerForContext
• Panel properties: IsModal (dialog overlay), Maximized (fullscreen viewport), AllowClose (X button and Close button)
• Width/Height getters: return 0 when Maximized is True (original values preserved for restore)
• kxApp.openView: single JS function for view opening from menus (TreePanel and TilePanel use identical logic)
• body.kx-mobile CSS class: forces dialog and login fullscreen on mobile devices
• TilePanel: tile-based menu controller for mobile home pages, with touch support (role="button", touch-action: manipulation)
• Home view selection: HomeTinyView (phone), HomeSmallView (tablet), HomeView (desktop)

UI & UX

• Toast notifications: shown after save ("Data saved") and delete ("Data deleted"), auto-dismiss 3 seconds
• Error handling: DB errors (EEFDBError) non-fatal with clean messages (driver prefixes stripped). Session-level errors trigger reload.
• Draggable dialogs: all message boxes and error dialogs draggable by title bar via kxMakeDraggable
• Refresh button: in CRUD toolbar (visible by default, hidden with PreventRefreshing or on read-only controllers)
• Column sorting: click to sort ascending, click again for descending, sort arrows via CSS pseudo-elements
• Double-click to open: automatic edit/view form from grid rows
• Session lost detection: fatal error dialog with reload on server restart
• Timeout handling: configurable AjaxTimeout for both HTMX and fetch channels, Retry/Reset dialog

Filters

• Filter Panel with: FreeSearch, List, DynaList, ButtonList, DynaButtonList
• DateSearch, TimeSearch, DateTimeSearch, NumericSearch, BooleanSearch
• Layout with ColumnBreak and LabelWidth

Custom Layouts

• Custom Layout for Grid and Form
• Grid Layout with Column position, alignment
• Form Layout "multipage", with collapsible regions

Authentication & Access Control

• Pluggable authenticators: DB, DBCrypt, TextFile, DBServer, OSDB, Null
• Pluggable access controllers: DB, Null
• BCrypt password hashing, Google OTP (TOTP) two-factor authentication, QR code generation
• Session abstraction: IKXSessionProvider with TKXCookieSessionProvider (JWT-ready for future)

Tools

• CSV export (ExportCSVTool), Excel export via ADO (ExportExcelTool), SQL tool, file download/upload
• FlexCel integration (commercial, Enterprise edition)
• ReportBuilder integration (commercial, Enterprise edition)
• DebenuQuickPDF for PDF merging

Deployment

• Standalone (VCL desktop or Windows service with embedded Indy HTTP server)
• Desktop Embedded (WebView2 inside VCL window)
• Console (headless server)
• IIS (ISAPI DLL via WebBroker)
• Apache (module via WebBroker)

KIDEX (Visual IDE — Enterprise)

• RTTI-based property discovery (replaced 215 MetadataTemplate YAML files)
• 6 custom YAML attributes: YamlNode, YamlRequiredNode, YamlContainer, YamlSubNode, YamlChildType, YamlEnumValue
• SVG icon support (Material Design Icons)
• Database reverse engineering (model creation from DB schema)
• Project wizard, validators, tree editors

Examples

• HelloKitto: simple party/invitation manager (Parties, Girls, Dolls, Invitations)
• TasKitto: activity tracking with dashboard, charts, calendar, projects, customers
• KEmployee: employee/customer management with master-detail, card views

Supported Delphi Versions

Available from Delphi 10.4 to Latest (Win32 or Win64 platforms).

Related links: www.embarcadero.com - https://learndelphi.org