Open Source Resources for Web Application Developers

Ext Core is a cross-browser JavaScript library for building dynamic web pages. It is lightweight with high performance. The code is clear and maintainable. Ext Core is intuitive with easy to use API as well. You can easily build Carousel, Lightbox, Menu, JSONP, Simple Tabs with Ext Core.

The Carousel example provides a widget for browsing a set of objects. It can be configured to meet any of your specific requirements – auto-play, animations, custom navigation dynamic content and more. The Lightbox example provides a widget used to overlay images on the current page.

The Menu example provides a widget that converts an existing list of links on the page to either a horizontal or vertical menu. The JSONP example shows how you can fetch JSON data from a different domain. It includes a class you can use to connect to any possible web service that supports the JSON format. The Simple Tabs example shows how you can create powerful navigation with only a few lines of code using Ext Core.

Requirements: Internet Explorer 6+, FireFox 1.5+, Safari 3+, Opera 9+
Demo: http://extjs.com/products/extcore/
License: MIT License

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The Guardian Open Platform is the suite of services that make it possible for us to build applications with the Guardian. They have opened up their platform so that everyone can benefit from the journalism, the brand, and the technologies that power guardian.co.uk. The Open Platform currently includes two products, the Content API and the Data Store.

1. The Content API is a mechanism for getting Guardian content. You can query their content database for articles and get them back in formats that are geared toward integration with other internet applications. The Content API is a free service including commercial applications. However, there are some limits and restrictions.

2. The Data Store is a collection of important and high quality data sets curated by Guardian journalists. You can find useful data there, download it, and integrate it with other internet applications. The Data Store has a range of different uses for different types of partners. They will include relevant terms and conditions along with each service.

The Guardian Open Platform is a useful environment for anyone who creates for the internet. They will offer more services in the future such as an ad network and an application platform.

Source: The Guardian Open Platform

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Stephen Bau has been looking for a means of rapidly developing interactive prototypes for his site designs. He has been building a library of commonly used HTML elements, combining these with CSS for typography and layout.

He finally created Fluid 960 Grid System Templates (960 pixel fixed width, 12-column fluid width and 16-column fluid width) which have been built upon the work of Nathan Smith and his 960 Grid System using effects from the Mootools JavaScript library.

These templates are offered free of charge in accordance with the applicable licenses for 960 Grid System and Mootools.

Requirements: -
Demo: http://designinfluences.com/fluid960gs/
License: GPL, MIT License

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$fx() is a compact lightweight JavaScript library which extends DOM element by adding animation methods. It lets you to alter any CSS property allong time line by passing just simple configuration. Moreover you can combine effects, group them to the chains and run parallel, also you have ability to set different callbacks what gives you even more flexibility.

$fx() is not the attempt to compete with existing existing frameworks, but just the library for some different purposes. Most of animation libraries are based on different JavaScript frameworks like jQuery or prototype or have pretty big size theirself. So if you want to keep you scripts extremely lightweight and and do not load and run a bunch of extra JavaScript then $fx() fit the best.

Requirements: -
Demo: http://fx.inetcat.com/
License: License Free

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UI.Layout was inspired by the extJS border-layout, and recreates that functionality as a jQuery plug-in. The UI.Layout plug-in can create any UI look you want – from simple headers or sidebars, to a complex application with toolbars, menus, help-panels, status bars, sub-forms, etc.

UI.Layout creates a ‘page-layout’ that has auto-sizing ‘center pane’ surrounded by up to four collapsible and resizable ‘border panes’ (north, south, east & west). It can also create multiple headers & footers inside each pane.

For more complex layouts, you can nest layouts within layouts. Or use an iframe as a pane to create a ’sub-form’ that can have its own layout. The possibilities are unlimited – from simple fixed headers or sidebars to rich applications. Layouts are created from existing elements (divs, iframes, etc), so UI.Layout will degrade gracefully.

Combined it with other jQuery UI widgets to create a sophisticated application. There are no limitations or issues – this widget is ready for production use. You can checkout Demos page for a list of all demos and samples.

Requirements: jQuery Framework
Demo: http://layout.jquery-dev.net/
License: GPL, MIT License

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WireIt is an open-source javascript library to create web wirable interfaces like Yahoo! Pipes for dataflow applications, visual programming languages or graphical modeling. Wireit uses the YUI library (2.6.0) for DOM and events manipulation, and excanvas for IE support of the canvas tag. It currently supports Firefox 1.5+, Safari 2.0+, IE 7.0, Opera 9+ and Chrome 0.2.x.

Requirements: YUI Framework
Demo: http://javascript.neyric.com/wireit/
License: MITLicense

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OpenZoom is an Open Source Framework for Multi-Scale Images and Zoomable User Interfaces (ZUI). The OpenZoom core framework is built on top of the Adobe Flash Platform and provides custom components that can be used either in Flash or Flex.

MultiScaleImage is a component that built on top of the OpenZoom framework.There are three core concepts of the MultiScaleImage, namely transformers, controllers and constraints.

The transformer controls the animation of the viewport. Controllers are the glue between user input and viewport control. The constraint controls what states the viewport can reach. Don’t want people to zoom out too much? Just add a ZoomConstraint and set minimum and maximum zoom.

Requirements: -
Demo: http://gasi.ch/blog/flex-multiscaleimage-component/
License: GPL License

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Sinatra is a Ruby “micro framework” for developing Web applications. It seems to have reached critical mass – it’s on the cusp of becoming really popular.

This is a good time to check it out and see where it could fit into your own projects. Lots of awesome articles about Sinatra, Sinatra apps, and various links and resources have cropped up over the past few months.

RubyInside shows us the best links and resources for Sinatra they have found on Sinatra: 29 Links and Resources For A Quicker, Easier Way to Build Webapps. Most of which you should find useful as you start to explore Sinatra in detail.

The resources includes Tutorials and Presentations, Sinatra Applications, Deployment, Sinatra Blogging Engines and Sites Built on Sinatra.

Requirements: Sinatra
Demo: http://www.rubyinside.com/sinatra…
License: MIT License

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Facebook Connect is the next evolution of Facebook Platform – enabling you to integrate the power of Facebook Platform into your own site. Enable your users to seamlessly “connect” their Facebook account and information with your site. Find their friends who also use your site. And also, share information and actions on your site with their friends on Facebook.

With Facebook Connect, users can connect their Facebook account with any partner Web site using their simplified and trusted authentication. Facebook users represent themselves with their real names and real identities. Users can take their friends with them wherever they go on the Web. As a user moves around the open Web, their privacy settings will follow them, ensuring that users’ information and privacy rules are always up to date.

Update: You can also look at the video which shows you how to “Add Facebook Connect to Your Blog in 8 Minutes“.

Requirements: -
Demo: http://developers.facebook.com/connect.php
License: Facebook TOS

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A lot of people have been asking for some comparison articles for some of the popular frameworks. Here I found a nice comparison between Zend framework and CakePHP framework from Douglas Brown.

ZF offers a simple component library to provide 80 percent of the functionality mostly needed by developers. The rest of the 20 percent can be altered as per your requirements of the business. This can be done since it has a flexible architecture and you do not need any configuration file to get started with. Due to this, training costs are lessened and the product reaches the market sooner.

CakePHP is a rapid development framework for PHP that offers a flexible architecture for development, maintenance and deployment of applications. It uses the usual design patterns like MVC and ORM within the convention over configuration paradigm that helps lower development expenses and does not need the developers to write a lot of code.

Just like ZF, CakePHP does not require configuration. It is very simple to use. The company has a user friendly community called #cakephp on IRC that helps new users to begin. It is distributed under the MIT License and promises Best Practices like security, authentication and session handling. It has an object-oriented approach to keep you at ease.

Overall, both these frameworks are good to use as per your requirements. CakePHP is suitable for developers new to MVC and those who require stricter conventions. ZF is a choice for those who need better control over the application design and built-in support for renowned Web services. Both the frameworks are developing fast and the choice is entirely yours.

Some of the people noted that CakePHP has poor documentation. The Zend Framework definitely has better documentation. So if you were just getting started using an MVC Framework, ZF would be a good place to start.

Source: Zend Framework vs CakePHP Framework

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