Eclipse scrubs up Web 2.0 credentials

AJAX, scripting - the works

By Gavin Clarke in San Francisco • Get more from this author

Posted in Developer, 7th March 2007 09:57 GMT

Free whitepaper – Migrating to the new Dell Management Console

EclipseCon After six years mostly focused on enterprise computing, Eclipse is tackling rich internet applications by expanding into Web 2.0.

The open source tools organisation has launched separate AJAX and scripting projects geared towards simplifying development and to taking Eclipse into new areas. Support for scripting is expected with this summer's Eclipse update, Europa.

Opening EclipseCon in Santa Clara, California, the organisation announced Eclipse Ajax Toolkit Framework (ATF), the Rich AJAX Platform (RAP), and Dynamic Language Toolkit (DLTK).

ATF is designed to ease common programming headaches by introducing a Java debugger that runs in Firefox so developers can inspect applications inside the browser, while there is also a JavaScript editor. Popular AJAX frameworks including Dojo, Rico, and Zimbra plug into ATF. RAP extends Eclipse's Rich Client Platform (RCP) by introducing a number of frameworks for developers.

DLTK extends Eclipse frameworks and components such as debugging and code indexing to Python, Ruby, and Tcl. Eclipse executive director Mike Milinkovich told The Register: "Having an IDE is good for developers. It will [also] get Eclipse into new development communities. And that's good for Eclipse."

Eclipse, meanwhile, demonstrated its SWT architecture running on Windows Vista, launched in January. Eclipse is positioning its tools - and the RCP in particular - as an alternative for Windows developers concerned by the move to Windows Vista and Microsoft's new .NET 3.0 programming framework. Milinkovich called SWT on Windows Vista "gorgeous...it's the real Vista". ®

Free whitepaper – Guidelines for specification of data center power density