Google releases JavaScript tools as open source

Google has announced the release of some of its core application development tools as open source. The Closure tools, which include the Closure Compiler, Closure Library, Closure Templates, and Closure Inspector, have been used by Google to develop its popular Gmail, Google Docs and Google Maps web applications.

The Closure compiler can be used for fine-tuning and optimising JavaScript code to make it run faster and more efficiently even with slow network connections. It removes and overwrites redundant code segments, keeping the remaining code as lean as possible. The compiler can also check the code's syntax, variable references and types. The compiler is available as an open source stand alone Java application, an online web application, or through a RESTful API. The Closure Inspector can be installed, in Firefox, to allow developers to work on Closure compiled code with the Firebug JavaScript debugger.

Google's Closure Library for JavaScript contains standardised application services and components that work with various browsers. The library is described as "server-agnostic" and designed with the Closure Compiler in mind. The Closure Templates automate the dynamic generation of HTML code. They can be used both with JavaScript on the client and with Java on the server.

All the Closure tools are available under the Apache Licence 2.0. Source code is available from the Google Code project pages for the compiler, inspector, library and templates.

(djwm)