Google tools up for ‘complex’ web app development

Developer toolkit

Google has added to its web and cloud-based application developer toolkit offerings in the form of a refreshed Google Web Toolkit (GWT) and the Google Plugin for Eclipse (GPE) 2.3 software development environment.

As the technology underpinning services such as Google AdWords and the Orkut social network, GWT is essentially a web developer's toolkit intended to aid the construction of complex browser-based apps.

Coming as it does alongside the final version of the Google Plugin for Eclipse (GPE) 2.3, the tech giant says these releases focus on bringing Google-branded services' and APIs directly into the Eclipse IDE.

"The number of new APIs hosted by Google has been on the rise lately and we think this is great for developers looking to add cool features to their apps, such as Google Maps overlays, Buzz streams and Google Docs integration. So to help developers build out these features, we've added the ability to browse and add Google APIs directly from Eclipse," said Chris Ramsdale, developer programmes engineer at Google, in a blog post.

Java developers looking to build complex' cloud-based applications now have a more straightforward route to optimising and improving them with attractive API features, according to Google.

Developers working with the Google Plugin for Eclipse simply highlight a project and then select the Google - Add Google APIs' menu item to initiate the new functionality.

Additional new features also include easy discover' for access to the Google APIs, the ability to import projects from Project Hosting and a one login' option that uses the same authentication mechanism as Gmail and Google Docs.