Prototype framework enables you to deal with Ajax in a very easy way. It simplifies the way of using Javascript and deals in a smart way with JavaScript code returned from a server and provides helper classes for polling. And also, it is cross-browser compatible.
The biggest part of the Prototype framework are its DOM extensions. Prototype adds many convenience methods to elements returned by the $() function: for instance, you can write $('editForm').addClassName('active').show() to get the element with the ID ‘editForm‘, add a class name to it and show it (if it was previously hidden).
This framework can save you more than 50% on coding javascript and developing an ajax driven with large amount of DOM manipulations web site. If you have not tried it, please have a look. A well-defined framework is needed for developing a professional web application.
Requirements: Any Browsers
Demo: http://www.prototypejs.org/api
License: MIT License
David’s Kitchen wrote an article: Scalable CSS Buttons Using PNG and Background Colors taught us how to create dynamic CSS Buttons using PNG, transparency and background colors that degrades nicely and supports full scalability.
It is really handy for developers because the length of the button will be changed according to the length of the text. The buttons are very pretty with Web 2.0 style. The color of the button changed if you hover on it. However, the buttons are not looking very nice in Internet Explorer 6.0, hope there is a version which supports IE 6.0 as well soon.
Requirements: Internet Explorer 6.0+, Firefox 1.5+
Demo: http://monc.se/kitchen/stew/buttons/btn.html
License: No License
Google Gears is an open source browser extension that enables web applications to provide offline functionality using JavaScript APIs. Due to the concern about internet security, building web application which store and serve sensitive information locally on users’ own computers are very useful.
- Store and serve application resources locally
- Store data locally in a fully-searchable relational database
- Run asynchronous Javascript to improve application responsiveness
It is a similar idea with Apollo which enable offline use of web applications. From now on, users can store data locally in their database on their own computer. So that some users can use the web application they like, at the same time prevent their sensitive information being hacked by storing their information locally.
Requirements: Windows XP / Vista, Internet Explorer 6.0+, Firefox 1.5+
Demo: http://code.google.com/apis/gears/sample.html
License: New BSD License
Apollo is the code name for a cross-operating system runtime being developed by Adobe that allows developers to leverage their existing web development skills (Flash, Flex, HTML, JavaScript, Ajax) to build and deploy rich Internet applications (RIAs) to the desktop.
Web Application Developement is growing faster than ever with the support of Ajax. Users do not need to reload every page in order to interact with the web application. Therefore, web application is becoming more popular. However, some people still aware of the security of online application. They are worrying that some hackers might be able to steal their sensitive information form the web site.
Now web application developer can use their web development skill to create a destop application for users with Apollo. Users can download desktop version of the application. It is really a good news to web application developer.
Requirements: Windows XP (SP2) / Vista, Mac OSX 10.4.8 on PPC or Intel
Demo: http://www.adobe.com/go/apollo_samples
License: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0
