Rich internet application: Difference between revisions

The educational technology and digital learning wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 58: Line 58:
There are different kinds of development sofware. Basically, all you need is knowledge of server-side and client-side scripting (e.g. PHP and DHTML). Client-side rendering can be done with any dynamic format ([[XHTML]], [[SVG]], [[SMIL]], [[Flash]], [[Java]], etc.)
There are different kinds of development sofware. Basically, all you need is knowledge of server-side and client-side scripting (e.g. PHP and DHTML). Client-side rendering can be done with any dynamic format ([[XHTML]], [[SVG]], [[SMIL]], [[Flash]], [[Java]], etc.)


But there exist various frameworks to develop RIAs much faster, e.g here is very incomplete liste:
But there exist various frameworks to develop RIAs much faster, e.g here is very incomplete list:


; PHP/AJAX-based
; [[AJAX]]-based
* [http://www.laszlosystems.com/ Laszlo]
* [http://www.laszlosystems.com/ Laszlo] (also deploys in Flash)
* [http://dojotoolkit.org/ Dojo] (for the client-side part only)
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZK_Framework ZK Framework]


; Java client-side
; Java client-side
Line 67: Line 69:
* Server-side can be anything, but many Java developers also use Java technology
* Server-side can be anything, but many Java developers also use Java technology


; Flash client-side
; Flash client-side and optionally Adobe server-side technology
* [[Adobe Flex]] and [http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air/ Adobe AIR]
* [[Adobe Flex]] and [http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/air/ Adobe AIR]


; Microsoft
; Microsoft's new "Internet foundation framework"
* [http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/ Microsoft Silverlight]
* [http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/ Microsoft Silverlight]
; Browser embedded
* Some webbrowsers, e.g. Firefox ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XUL XUL]) and Opera offer extension frameworks.


; Other
; Other
* Some webbrowser, e.g. Firefox ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XUL XUL]) and Opera offer extension frameworks.
* More stuff needed ....


== Links and references ==
== Links and references ==

Revision as of 16:19, 12 December 2007

Definition

Rich Internet applications (RIA) are Web applications that have the features and functionality of traditional desktop applications. RIAs typically transfer the processing necessary for the user interface to the Web client but keep the bulk of the data (i.e., maintaining the state of the program, the data etc) back on the application server. (Wikipedia,, retrieved 12:36, 27 April 2007 (MEST))

Technology and examples

Technology

"Core" web 2.0
  • AJAX (Javascript + HTML + CSS + HTTP + XMLHTTPRequest calls). There are a number of available development frameworks
  • Some server-side technology (same as for any web application)
  • web widget technology (APIs to integrate web applications into an organizing "page")
Plugins / webstart applications
  • Java applets or Java webstart applications
  • Flash + tools like Adobe Flex and Apollo
Browser extensions
  • XUL (only works with Mozilla-based browsers).
  • ActiveX Controls (only works with IE)
Other

Ria categories

Examples

(just some, rather look up categories above)

Editing
Specifically for education (in this wiki)
Other places to visit

In education

Rich internet applications have a lot of potential, in particular for "classroom education" since it frees the teacher from administrative redtape and the organization from installation and maintenance. See e-learning 2.0.

Software for development

There are different kinds of development sofware. Basically, all you need is knowledge of server-side and client-side scripting (e.g. PHP and DHTML). Client-side rendering can be done with any dynamic format (XHTML, SVG, SMIL, Flash, Java, etc.)

But there exist various frameworks to develop RIAs much faster, e.g here is very incomplete list:

AJAX-based
Java client-side
  • Java applets and web start applications
  • Server-side can be anything, but many Java developers also use Java technology
Flash client-side and optionally Adobe server-side technology
Microsoft's new "Internet foundation framework"
Browser embedded
  • Some webbrowsers, e.g. Firefox (XUL) and Opera offer extension frameworks.
Other
  • More stuff needed ....

Links and references