Spry framework

The Spry Framework is an open source Ajax framework developed by Adobe Systems which is used in the construction of Rich Internet Applications. Unlike other pure JavaScript frameworks such as the Dojo Toolkit and Prototype, Spry is geared towards web designers, not web developers.

Components

The Spry framework broadly consists of

• Spry Effects - animation effects like blind, fade, grow, highlight, shake, slide and squish.
• Spry Data - data binding to HTML markup using minimal code or proprietary markup. Spry uses Google's Xpath JavaScript library to convert XML into JavaScript objects. It can handle XML, HTML and JSON data.
• Spry Widgets - framework for development of widgets, and included widgets such as the accordion. CRC

Versions

Spry is currently in beta. The current version is 1.6.1. Adobe has not specified a target release date for the Spry framework, nor has it posted any sort of roadmap. Spry prerelease 1.5 was released on May 17, 2007

Usage

The Spry framework is directly integrated into Adobe Systems's Dreamweaver CS3. There is further speculation as to how Adobe will utilize the Spry codebase. Possible uses are:

• Ajax development within an IDE such as Eclipse (software).
• Ajax generation from server code using ColdFusion. Ruby on Rails offers similar functionality.
• Ajax application generation from Adobe Flex code. OpenLaszlo will offer similar functionality with their "Legals" release (version 4).

Competitors

Spry competes with a number of other Ajax frameworks and toolkits:

• Atlas Framework from Microsoft
• Ext
• Dojo Toolkit
• Echo
• Google Web Toolkit
• jQuery
• Mootools
• Prototype and Script.aculo.us
• Yahoo! UI Library

See also

• Ajax Framework

External links

• Official website.