Intro
Comparisons
- table comparison of Prototype, Dojo, Mochikit, Yahoo!, Google, JQuery
- Surveying open-source AJAX toolkits: Dojo, Zimbra Kabuki, Yahoo UI, Microsoft Atlas, GWT, and Prototype
IDE
These integrate with the Firebug Firefox extension for JavaScript debugging.
- Aptana IDE - Eclipse plugin or standalone bundle; no JSP integration, only HTML
- Eclipse Ajax Toolkit Framework - in development
jQuery - simpler JavaScript
Note: jQuery is a JavaScript library which focuses on simplifying the repetition involved with DOM scripting, though it also includes some visual effects. See the developerWorks article for good examples.
- developerWorks: Simplify Ajax development with jQuery
- 15 Days of jQuery (tutorials) - including Table Striping Made Easy
- jQuery API: load() HTML file
- jQuery API browser (like JavaDoc)
JavaScript Toolkits
Some of these can be used together, many include graphics/animations/CSS.
- Dojo Toolkit - including the Dojo.Book
- Mochi - has an interactive online JavaScript interpreter
- OpenRico - includes the Prototype library; seems focused on effects
- Yahoo UI Toolkit - good design tips, lots of examples
- Zimbra Kabuki toolkit - includes an editor
Conversion Toolkits
- These range from JavaScript fuction libraries to full MVC frameworks
Special-purpose language
- http://www.openlaszlo.org/ - can create Ajax or Flash apps; here is a guide to Laszlo Eclipse plugin
- http://www.morfik.com
Java-based (most server side)
- http://www.nextapp.com/platform/echo2/echo/
- ZK open-source Ajax Web framework - enable rich Web UI with no JavaScript and little programming.
- Google Web Toolkit (GWT) - write pseudo-Swing code and convert it; weird license
- Direct Web Remoting - DWR allows Javascript in a browser to interact with Java on a server
- JSF, Spring, Struts - MVC frameworks, state of Ajax support in development, work fine with JavaScript toolkits above
- What's the secret sauce in Ruby on Rails? - tips for Java developers
