Ortus Solutions delivered a wealth of insights and updates in September 2025, focusing on modernizing development with BoxLang, ColdBox, and CFML. From practical tips for streamlining ColdBox workflows to strategies for overcoming legacy system challenges, the month’s blogs and events highlighted tools, resources, and community efforts to empower developers. This recap organizes the content into key categories, showcasing how Ortus is driving innovation and efficiency in web development.

Product Releases & Tools

• What's new in ContentBox?

  ContentBox is evolving into a BoxLang-first platform, reimagined for modern developers and content creators. With over 13 years of growth alongside ColdBox, the CMS now embraces BoxLang for enhanced speed and flexibility. The 6.x series brings performance boosts, a redesigned admin interface, and features like Content Templates and CBFS-integrated Media Manager. The upcoming 7.x release in 2025 introduces bx-ai for AI-powered content, a new Block Editor, and full BoxLang compatibility.

• ColdBox Free Tip 3: CommandBox ColdBox Commands

  CommandBox enhances ColdBox development with a powerful CLI, streamlining workflows through the coldbox-cli package. Key commands like coldbox reinit quickly reinitialize your application, while coldbox watch-reinit auto-reinits on file changes for seamless development. The coldbox create namespace simplifies scaffolding handlers, modules, and interceptors, saving time and boosting efficiency. Explore these tools to supercharge your ColdBox projects.

• ColdBox Free Tip 4: Using a Struct for Query Strings

  ColdBox simplifies query string management by allowing you to pass a struct to the buildLink() method, automatically converting it into a clean, formatted query string. This approach enhances code readability, reduces errors, and makes maintenance easier by organizing parameters in a structured format, streamlining your development process.

• ColdBox Free Tip 5: Building Named Routes with a Struct

  ColdBox enhances routing by allowing named routes with the event.buildLink() or event.route() methods, using a struct to specify route names and parameters. This approach creates dynamic, readable URLs like /contactUs/3, improving maintainability and flexibility. By defining parameters in a struct, you avoid hard-coded URLs, making route updates simpler and reducing errors in your ColdBox applications.

• ColdBox Free Tip 6: Using Routing with Wildcard Domains

  ColdBox's withDomain() method enables domain-specific routing, ideal for multi-tenant applications or projects requiring unique responses based on domains or subdomains. By defining routes that match incoming domains, like :client.myapp.io, you can dynamically handle subdomains and extract values for seamless client-specific logic, enhancing flexibility and simplifying multi-tenant app development.

• ColdBox Free Tip 7: ENVIRONMENT Environment Variable

  ColdBox simplifies environment management by auto-detecting the ENVIRONMENT variable in your .env file, enabling dynamic control of development, testing, or production workflows. By setting values like development or production, ColdBox triggers corresponding methods in ColdBox.cfc and module configs, ensuring consistent, automated configurations. New helpers in ColdBox 7, like isProduction(), further streamline environment checks, enhancing flexibility and consistency.

• The State of CBWIRE and What’s Coming Next

  CBWIRE simplifies building modern, reactive interfaces for CFML and BoxLang applications, inspired by Livewire and Alpine.js. Its HTML-over-the-wire architecture enables dynamic components for e-commerce, dashboards, and SPA-like experiences without heavy JavaScript. With native Alpine.js integration and upcoming features like full BoxLang compatibility, bx-cbwire module, and optimized parsing, CBWIRE empowers developers to modernize or build new apps efficiently.

Content & Resources

• How to reduce your DevOps backlog without inflating your team

  Growing organizations often face a mounting DevOps backlog, delaying deployments and stalling initiatives due to overstretched teams. Hiring more staff is costly and slow, with no guarantee of matching workload peaks. Ortus Solutions offers a better solution: immediate access to experienced DevOps engineers under senior supervision, delivering high-quality results. This scalable, cost-effective approach lets you clear your backlog without expanding payroll, backed by Ortus’ 19 years of expertise.

• How Legacy ColdFusion Applications Hold Back Innovation and Growth

  Legacy ColdFusion and CFML applications, though functional, create strategic roadblocks by hindering integrations, slowing time-to-market, and complicating talent retention. Outdated codebases and limited compatibility with modern APIs and cloud platforms delay new features and stall digital transformation. Ortus Solutions offers consulting to audit systems, build modernization roadmaps, and migrate to future-ready platforms like BoxLang, unlocking innovation and growth.

• On-Demand DevOps Engineers: More Value with a Cost-Attractive Model

  In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, maintaining a full-time DevOps team can strain budgets with lengthy hiring cycles and underutilized staff. Ortus Solutions offers a smarter alternative: on-demand DevOps engineers who deliver immediate expertise without the overhead. With a competitive cost structure, scalable engagement, and supervision by senior technical leaders, this model accelerates time-to-market and ensures quality, backed by 19+ years of Ortus’ modernization expertise.

• The Hidden Costs of Legacy CFML Applications

  Legacy ColdFusion and CFML applications may seem cost-effective if functional, but they drain resources through frequent downtime, escalating licensing fees, and a shrinking pool of skilled developers. Outdated code and brittle integrations increase outage risks, while maintenance costs rise. Ortus Solutions’ ColdFusion Consulting offers cost analysis, strategic migration planning, and BoxLang evaluation to reduce expenses, minimize risks, and modernize systems for future growth.

• More than Outsourcing: The Advantages of Having an On-Demand DevOps Engineer

  Traditional outsourcing for DevOps often leads to inconsistent quality, limited oversight, and integration challenges. Ortus Solutions offers a superior alternative with on-demand DevOps engineers backed by over 15 years of enterprise modernization expertise. Under senior leadership supervision, these engineers deliver consistent, high-quality results that seamlessly integrate with your workflows, providing a strategic partnership that ensures project success.

• Recap: Modernize or Die Podcast Ep. 241

  In episode 241 of the Modernize or Die Podcast, hosts Daniel Garcia and Luis Majano cover BoxLang updates, ColdBox 8's native BoxLang compatibility, CFML migrations, AI productivity tools, and Luis's Japan trip. Key takeaways include seamless transitions, community support for open-source, and security updates. Includes resources like links to episodes, subscriptions, and a full transcript.

• 5 Proven Steps to Modernize Your Legacy ColdFusion Systems

  Modernizing legacy ColdFusion applications can be daunting due to outdated code and fragile integrations, but delaying increases risks and costs. This guide outlines five steps: auditing your environment, defining a strategy, refactoring for compatibility, executing phased migrations, and optimizing for the future. Ortus Solutions’ consulting services support this process with expert audits, tailored plans, and options like BoxLang for a future-proof, cloud-native transition.

• Urgent Project? Here’s How You Can Have a DevOps Engineer by Tomorrow

  When urgent projects demand rapid support for infrastructure changes or critical deployments, traditional hiring is too slow. Ortus Solutions provides on-demand DevOps engineers who start immediately, integrate seamlessly, and deliver under senior supervision. With over 15 years of enterprise modernization experience, this cost-effective model ensures quality and speed without the overhead of full-time hires.

BoxLang News & Updates

• Introducing the BoxLang Developer Pack & Coding Theme

  The BoxLang Developer Pack and BoxLang Theme for Visual Studio Code and Open VSX streamline your development experience. The Developer Pack bundles essential tools like BoxLang language support, TestBox integration, and CommandBox CLI for seamless coding, testing, and project management. Paired with two tailored themes—BoxLang Dark (Neon) and BoxLang Light (Muted)—optimized for readability, these tools empower developers to build modern BoxLang applications efficiently, whether starting fresh or leading a team.

• BoxLang v1.5.0: Supercharged Serverless, Virtual Threads, and Rock-Solid Reliability

  BoxLang 1.5.0 delivered groundbreaking performance improvements, including optimized AWS Lambda runtime with class caching for up to 70% faster cold starts, convention-based multi-function routing, and virtual threads for parallel processing. Enhanced database operations support multiple statements and metadata capture, while improved Java interoperability and security features ensure robust, scalable applications.

• BoxLang: The Team Behind the Revolution

  BoxLang is powered by a dedicated team of developers, including Luis Majano and experts like Brad Wood and Jon Clausen, who draw from years of experience with tools like ColdBox and CommandBox to address real-world challenges in JVM development. Emphasizing ongoing support from migration to optimization, Ortus Solutions positions BoxLang as a community-driven movement for modernization, offering resources like webinars, documentation, and flexible licensing to empower developers without leaving them to navigate alone.

• Cut at Least 40% from Your Licensing Costs and Get Pro Support with BoxLang!

  introduces the BoxLang Pioneer Program, offering BoxLang+ features, priority migration support, and professional assistance with at least 40% savings on licensing costs. It includes predictable pricing, no hidden fees, free migration help, priority fixes, a dedicated Slack channel, and guaranteed app compatibility. Businesses can start with a free 30-minute consultation and a 1-year non-production license to test BoxLang’s benefits, aiming to modernize and scale applications efficiently.

• Become a BoxLang Pioneer: Modernize Your Projects Without Limits!

  Present the BoxLang Pioneer License, available until December 1, 2025, offering premium features, no per-core or user-based fees, and at least 40% licensing cost savings. It includes dedicated migration support, a private Slack channel, and priority assistance. Future updates include BoxLang Admin Beta and new libraries in Winter 2025, with Version 2.0 Betas in Spring 2026. A free 30-minute consultation and non-production license help businesses test BoxLang’s benefits, encouraging early adoption to shape its future.

Community Spotlight

• Adding a Web Debugger to BoxLang (First Version)

  This post outlines a web debugger for BoxLang, inspired by ColdFusion’s debugging tool. Using BoxLang’s module system and interceptors, it tracks template execution times, database queries, and HTTP calls. Two functions, debugDisplay() and getDebugInfo(), show or retrieve debug data, helping spot issues like slow or repeated templates. Future plans include method call tracking, visual alerts for slow performance, and customizable settings. The project is on GitHub for testing and contributions.

• A Few Updates for September

  Robert Zehnder introduces bx-setup, a script for installing BoxLang modules from a requirements.txt file, supporting version pinning and dry runs. Updates to boxlang-ssg include custom outputDir support, with efforts to add missing commandbox-ssg features. Feedback is welcomed via GitHub.

• BoxLang SSG

  Robert Zehnder introduces boxlang-ssg, a static site generator written in BoxLang, inspired by commandbox-ssg. Run as a single ssg.bx file, it builds static sites with commands like boxlang ssg.bx build. Installation involves cloning the GitHub repo and adding modules (bx-jsoup, bx-markdown, bx-yaml). Configure via ssg-config.json to manage output (_site), passthru files, and ignored directories. Preview sites using boxlang-miniserver with a router.bxs for rewrites. The post invites feedback for further development.

• Running API-to-CSV Scripts with BoxLang

  Robert Zehnder demonstrates how to use BoxLang’s CLI to create scripts that fetch API data and generate CSV files for analysis, ideal for long-running processes unsuitable for web servers. The example script retrieves user data from an API, deserializes JSON, and outputs it as CSV using printLn. It supports shell-style execution on Mac/Linux or as .bxs/.bx files, with options for command-line arguments and output redirection (e.g., ./boxlang-users | tee users.csv). The script can be written as a shell script or a BoxLang class with a main function, offering flexibility for handling large datasets efficiently.

Ortus & BoxLang Upcoming Events & Webinars

• Into the Box 2026 is Here: Learn All the Details!

  Into the Box 2026, set for April 29–May 1, 2026, in Washington, DC, opened early registration with a focus on "Modernization in Motion: Building a Dynamic Future." The conference offered hands-on BoxLang and ColdBox sessions, deep dives into modern CFML, cloud-native development, and AI-driven tools, alongside networking, workshops, exclusive swag, and session recordings for attendees.

• Call for Speakers: Into the Box 2026!

  Ortus Solutions opened the call for speakers for Into the Box 2026, set for April 29–May 1, 2026, in Washington, DC. Developers and tech innovators were invited to submit session proposals by November 15, 2025, to share insights on modern development and emerging technologies. Speaking at ITB offers a platform to influence the community, connect globally, and enhance professional branding.

Events on September

• Let’s Build an App in BoxLang with Raymond Camden – Live Coding Webinar Part II!

  In this hands-on live coding webinar, Raymond Camden guided participants through building a modern web application using BoxLang in its second part. The session focused on practical development techniques, showcasing BoxLang's capabilities for efficient app creation, and provided real-time coding examples to help developers apply concepts immediately.

• Ortus Solutions at Adobe ColdFusion Summit 2025

  Ortus Solutions proudly served as a Silver Sponsor for the Adobe ColdFusion Summit 2025, held September 22–23 in Las Vegas. Attendees visited the Ortus booth to explore BoxLang and ColdBox updates, connect with the team, and collect exclusive swag. The event featured sessions like “Git Smarter” by Jacob Beers and “Legacy Code” by Grant Copley, plus a post-summit CBWire workshop on September 24–25, where participants learned reactive UI development with ColdBox and AlpineJS.

• Workshop: Building Reactive UIs with CBWire!

  Held on September 24–25, 2025, in Las Vegas, this 2-day hands-on workshop, led by Grant Copley and Luis Majano, taught participants how to build modern, reactive UIs using CBWire, ColdBox, and AlpineJS. Attendees learned to create interactive UI components, connect server-side logic to the frontend, and apply reactive patterns to real-world CFML projects, streamlining development without heavy JavaScript frameworks.

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