New: Google Web Toolkit. Build AJAX apps in Java!

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May 17, 20061 min

Google released a new Web Toolkit that let's you code AJAX applications in Java.

I’m not a developer and even I think Google’s new Web Toolkit (GWT) is cool. Basically, this is a Java development framework for AJAX (Asynchronus Java and XML). That means now you, too, can make gnarly AJAX applications like maps.google.com, gmail, etc. using your favorite Java development tools. Google released the new toolkit yesterday (in beta, of course) and is demoing it at the Sun JavaOne conference today.

From the FAQ: “With GWT, you can develop and debug AJAX applications in the Java language using the Java development tools of your choice. When you deploy your application to production, the GWT compiler translates your Java application to browser-compliant JavaScript and HTML.

GWT includes a Java-to-JavaScript compiler and a special web browser that helps you debug your GWT applications.

Google’s also got a nice online developer guide here.

The examples of GWT in action are pretty cool — I’m especially impressed with the pop-up stuff, including a draggable dialog a la Google Maps, and even a mock-up Gmail-style desktop mail application. Let a million Outlooks bloom.

😉

Enjoy.