Today Microsoft has announced a big update to its WinJS JavaScript library. This project began at //Build in 2014 and is now in its third version. The project aims to bring new tools to JavaScript while maintaining JavaScript’s cross platform nature. The changes enable modular deployment of the WinJS library which allow developers to only include relevant parts of WinJS into their projects. Version 3.0 also brings improved control consistency across platforms and device types.
WinJS was originally developed as a tool for making Metro apps in Windows 8 using HTML and JavaScript. Developers could easily make native apps for Windows by reusing existing website code. HTML and JavaScript are popular coding languages which opens the door for a lot of different new developers to begin making apps for Windows. WinJS also is meant to extend the power of standard JavaScript so developers can make rich powerful apps only using HTML and JavaScript.
In version 3.0 Microsoft has focused on bringing WinJS cross platform. Now a developer could write an app for the iPhone using WinJS and use the same code on their website, or Android version. This gives developers the ability to reuse more of their code when making their apps on different platforms. More reused code could mean faster ports, and easier updating.
Its not all about apps though. WinJS 3.0 also works on the web across browsers. Now the same code can be used to deliver beautiful, simple and consistent controls and UI elements regardless of browser. Again, this is less code for developers to write and less troubleshooting and testing meaning better websites in a shorter time.
Not only can WinJS 3.0 deliver the same experience on a wide variety platforms, but you don’t have to include the entire library into your project. Now WinJS has been broken into several dozen modules which can be applied independently to keep the final project small and efficient. Smaller, more efficient, consistent and cross platform; Can you ask for any thing else? WinJS is available today from a variety of sources, follow the source link below and get it for yourself!
