Dynamic column guides and data representation on an application development workspace

1. A computer-implemented method for building a user interface of an application under development, the computer-implemented method comprising:

connecting, by a computer, a data field to each label user interface component within a respective column user interface component;

displaying, by the computer, a name of the data field connected to a respective label user interface component in a canvas area of an application development workspace;

rendering, by the computer, data of the data field connected to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace enabling a user to preview a look of the user interface of the application under development during application design time before implementation; and

building, by the computer, the user interface of the application under development in response to receiving an input from the user to build the user interface after previewing the look of the user interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically applying, by the computer, a predetermined number of column guides across a top of an entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the predetermined number of column guides is 12, and wherein the predetermined number of column guides is contextually-aware and auto-adjusted based on a particular user interface component selected by the user in the application development workspace.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a section user interface component on the entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace; and

adjusting, by the computer, margins and paddings of the section user interface component.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a row user interface component to the section user interface component on the canvas area of the application development workspace;

automatically adding, by the computer, a column user interface component to the row user interface component based on a default setting; and

automatically adjusting, by the computer, an overall length of the predetermined number of column guides based on a width of the row user interface component, wherein the width of the row user interface component is less than the entire width of the canvas area and section user interface component.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a set of additional column user interface components to the row user interface component; and

automatically adjusting, by the computer, a size of each column user interface component added to the row user interface component in accordance with the automatically adjusted overall length of the predetermined number of column guides to complete a layout of the user interface of the application under development.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a label user interface component within each column user interface component added to the row user interface component to display text inside each column user interface component; and

changing, by the computer, attributes of the label user interface component within each respective column user interface component in order for the user to visualize a style applied to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace.

8. A computer system for building a user interface of an application under development, the computer system comprising:

a bus system;

a storage device connected to the bus system, wherein the storage device stores program instructions; and

a processor connected to the bus system, wherein the processor executes the program instructions to:

connect a data field to each label user interface component within a respective column user interface component;

display a name of the data field connected to a respective label user interface component in a canvas area of an application development workspace;

render data of the data field connected to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace enabling a user to preview a look of the user interface of the application under development during application design time before implementation; and

build the user interface of the application under development in response to receiving an input from the user to build the user interface after previewing the look of the user interface.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

automatically apply a predetermined number of column guides across a top of an entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

add a section user interface component on the entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace; and

adjust margins and paddings of the section user interface component.

11. The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

add a row user interface component to the section user interface component on the canvas area of the application development workspace;

automatically add a column user interface component to the row user interface component based on a default setting; and

automatically adjust an overall length of the predetermined number of column guides based on a width of the row user interface component, wherein the width of the row user interface component is less than the entire width of the canvas area and section user interface component.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

add a set of additional column user interface components to the row user interface component; and

automatically adjust a size of each column user interface component added to the row user interface component in accordance with the automatically adjusted overall length of the predetermined number of column guides to complete a layout of the user interface of the application under development.

13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the processor further executes the program instructions to:

add a label user interface component within each column user interface component added to the row user interface component to display text inside each column user interface component; and

change attributes of the label user interface component within each respective column user interface component in order for the user to visualize a style applied to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace.

14. A computer program product for building a user interface of an application under development, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to perform a method of:

connecting, by the computer, a data field to each label user interface component within a respective column user interface component;

displaying, by the computer, a name of the data field connected to a respective label user interface component in a canvas area of an application development workspace;

rendering, by the computer, data of the data field connected to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace enabling a user to preview a look of the user interface of the application under development during application design time before implementation; and

building, by the computer, the user interface of the application under development in response to receiving an input from the user to build the user interface after previewing the look of the user interface.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 further comprising:

automatically applying, by the computer, a predetermined number of column guides across a top of an entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the predetermined number of column guides is 12, and wherein the predetermined number of column guides is contextually-aware and auto-adjusted based on a particular user interface component selected by the user in the application development workspace.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a section user interface component on the entire width of the canvas area of the application development workspace; and

adjusting, by the computer, margins and paddings of the section user interface component.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a row user interface component to the section user interface component on the canvas area of the application development workspace;

automatically adding, by the computer, a column user interface component to the row user interface component based on a default setting; and

automatically adjusting, by the computer, an overall length of the predetermined number of column guides based on a width of the row user interface component, wherein the width of the row user interface component is less than the entire width of the canvas area and section user interface component.

19. The computer program product of claim 18 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a set of additional column user interface components to the row user interface component; and

automatically adjusting, by the computer, a size of each column user interface component added to the row user interface component in accordance with the automatically adjusted overall length of the predetermined number of column guides to complete a layout of the user interface of the application under development.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising:

adding, by the computer, a label user interface component within each column user interface component added to the row user interface component to display text inside each column user interface component; and

changing, by the computer, attributes of the label user interface component within each respective column user interface component in order for the user to visualize a style applied to each respective label user interface component in the canvas area of the application development workspace.