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Google Releases AJAX Framework

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the well-isn't-that-special dept.

maquina writes "Google released a new AJAX framework based on Java. From Google's mouth: "Google Web Toolkit (GWT) is a Java software development framework that makes writing AJAX applications like Google Maps and Gmail easy for developers who don't speak browser quirks as a second language." This impressive framework promises to make AJAX available to the masses and is one more step towards Google becoming the de facto Internet platform provider."

19 of 327 comments (clear)

  1. Google: by Trigun · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Your source of, vangaurd of and now creator of all your information.

  2. The best feature of this toolkit by xbrownx · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...is by far and above the fact that you are coding your website in Java, using their API and SWT-like objects, and the Javascript/Ajax is then generated from your classes.

    I think Google is mostly responsible for launching the AJAX trend, and now they're moving in a brand new direction? Beautiful.

    Oh and they even distributed half of the source code for the project in the JAR files.

    1. Re:The best feature of this toolkit by Ingolfke · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Just because the AJAX code is not hand coded doesn't mean Google is moving in a new direction. In fact they're moving forward more agressively in the same direction, and are just releasing tools to help everyone go the same way (especially the Google way).

    2. Re:The best feature of this toolkit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I personally find the way it handles remote prodecure calls to the server the most interesting. Just define a serializable java class, you say? And GWT handles the rest, you say? Sign me up!

      This is sexy stuff, people. :-)

    3. Re:The best feature of this toolkit by samyem · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Been there done that: http://zk1.sourceforge.net/
      Opensource and free.. take that Google...

  3. Once again, Yahoo! is overlooked by Bloodwine77 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Yahoo has already done this, but apparently they don't have fanboys like Google. http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/

  4. The worst feature of this toolkit... by Bogtha · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...is that it's a closed-source, binary-only executable. Download page:

    The GWT Java-to-JavaScript compiler and hosted web browser are shipped binary-only and subject to the license below.

    --
    Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
  5. Another downside... by Bogtha · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...is that it phones home to Google.

    When you use the Google Web Toolkit's hosted web browser, the application sends a request back to Google's servers to check to see if you are using the most recent version of the product. As a part of this request, Google will log usage data including a timestamp of the date and time you downloaded the Google Web Toolkit and the IP address for your computer. We won't log cookies or personal information about you, and we will use any data we log only in the aggregate to operate and improve the Google Web Toolkit and other Google Services. Please see the Google Privacy Policy for more information.

    --
    Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
    1. Re:Another downside... by avdp · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Well, you've got a point there. You only have Google's word that they're only sending what they clearly state they're sending. Even if you don't explicitely trust Google (and many don't) - people inspect these network packets all the time to keep the vendor honest. It's been a while since I've seen a report of a vendor being sneaky and doing more than advertise. I think most reputable vendors have learned the lesson that the PR hit is just not worth it.

      But again, what Google is doing is very common practice in Windows world (and getting quite popular in Linux world). It is by far the best way to keep software updated, and push (actually, really pull) updates and fix vulnerabilities as fast as possible.

  6. Re:Interesting... by Freexe · · Score: 3, Interesting

    "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/strict.dtd"><html<head <title>Re:Interesting?</></><body<h1<em>I</> Do believe there </><p<a
    href="http://www.example.com"<em>there</></>.
    Evil?</><p<a
    href="http://www.example.com/">is</></></></>

    Yes the above code is valid html. Do you speak it?

    --
    "In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act." - George Orwell
  7. Wow by astralbat · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'm not into fanboyism but this is very very impressive. I took a look at the demos. The Desktop App Clone is particularly very impressive and it shows you what can be achieved with this stuff! I've never liked web development for the compatibility nightmare and plus the fact that it's a very messy business. Java with it's object oriented goodness will allow feature full applications to be developed extremely quickly!

  8. Take notes all.. by boxxa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is great news for all the developers out there. Google by doing this has proved once again that smart business practices and investments make a company, now how much software they patent and lock down. They specfically say that you can create applications like Google Maps and Gmail using their framework. Is someone gonna create a new Gmail or seach engine and take over Google? Prolly not, but Google has shown that not only can it develop high power applications and set the footprints for following developers, but they can also help the community advance just as they have. Just one of the many reasons I love Google.

    --
    Bryan
  9. YUI by mattwarden · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This impressive framework promises to make AJAX available to the masses and is one more step towards Google becoming the de facto Internet platform provider."

    Erm, actually they're playing catch up. From what I can tell, GWT is rather inferior to YUI.

  10. Already Been Done by TedCHoward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is an impressive toolkit and a nice approach, but Google is not the first to do this. Has anyone heard of ThinWire (http://www.thinwire.com/)? There are already production applications in place built on this framework.

  11. Google a Java shop? by lonesometrainer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I didn't know Google was a Java shop. Do they mainly code serverside stuff in Java these days? If so, which technology are they using (O/R mapper, servlet container, tricks & quirks). Would be interesting to know.

    Any infos?

  12. Re:The license is restrictive.. mods prohibited by Cederic · · Score: 2, Interesting


    So do it, get it done in the next two weeks, email Google, ask permission to distribute it and get offered a job.

  13. Lisp Macros by psicode · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I am surprised that no one has yet brought up lisp macros which can be used to develop a similar framework. Code can be written in Lisp and compiles/generates to javascript. See http://www.cliki.net/Parenscript and http://www.cliki.net/jsgen for implementations in common lisp. The problem I see with any form of generated javascript is that it will be hard to debug should something unexpectedly go wrong.

  14. Re:Thank You for clearing that up. by HighOrbit · · Score: 2, Interesting

    First I want to say "Thank you" for releasing the project for free use and a double "Thank you" for having large portions under the Apache license.

    I figured that the output would be owned by the user, but the terms initially looked like the toolkit itself was restricted except for the parts you got from other projects.

    I opened the tarball and the two jars and have been reviewing some of the files. I see that substantial numbers of the .java files have an Apache license prefixed. Excellent!

  15. GWT: Python -- Javascript compiler? by Salis · · Score: 1, Interesting

    What are the chances that a related package using Python instead of Java will be released/developed some time in the near future?

    I don't know the technical obstacles to doing this (and please elaborate on this if you want), but I think it'd be a useful addition. I'm sure there's lots of people who use Python, but not Java (for a variety of reasons).

    Thanks!

    Salis

    --
    Favorite /. tagline: "On the eighth day, God created FORTRAN." And it was good.