webOSdev Overview
Welcome to the Beta version of Palm webOSdev, the online meeting place for the webOS developer community. We’re glad you’ve stopped by. While the site is still Beta and lacks many of the niceties you’ll see as we continue to build the site, you can find everything you need here to get a strong start developing applications for the webOS platform. Through webOSdev you can reach virtually everything used by the webOS early access program developers, namely the following:
• The Palm® Mojo™ Software Development Kit and tools
• SDK documentation
• webOSdev discussion forums
• webOS blog
In addition, you get the benefit of being able to use the Mojo SDK, version 1.1, the first public release of the SDK, and revised documentation. Palm has been working with the early access program developers to understand what the broader development community needs to be successful with webOS. The webOSdev Beta version is just the first step toward meeting those needs and building the ecosystem needed to make the webOS platform both a technology and business success.
To help guide you through webOSdev so you can find what you’re looking for, the rest of this article provides a general overview of the site’s basic elements.
Palm Mojo Software Development Kit
The Mojo SDK provides an application framework based on the familiar HTML, CSS, and JavaScript web development standards. The SDK enables you to:- Build applications with gesture-based navigation, transitions, and scrolling
- Use the webOS notification system to alert users without interrupting them
- Leverage the local storage capabilities of HTML so that data is available even when users are offline
- Use a JSON-based message bus to tap into a wide range of device services, including contacts, calendars, and location
The SDK includes sample code, the Palm emulator, command-line development tools, and optional plug-ins for the Eclipse development environment. Go to the SDK Download page, provide a valid email address, and you’ll be able to download the SDK and get started developing your first webOS application.
webOS documentation
Everything you’ll need to get started with the Mojo SDK and build applications for the webOS platform. The documentation includes the following main sections:- Getting Started, with instructions on how to install the SDK, release notes for the current version of the SDK, the Hello World! Example application and tutorial, and the Application Checklist that you can use to help make sure your application meets the Palm quality standards.
- The Developer Guide, where you can learn the details of the application architecture, how to use widgets and services, and other features of the framework.
- The API Reference, in many ways the heart of the documentation, It provides a comprehensive reference to the Mojo Framework and all available Mojo APIs. The APIs include a range of controller methods, storage and UI functions, development aids and various features that you'll need in your application. Learn the details of using them, as well as how to work with Palm Mojo widgets and services.
- User Interface Guidelines, which provide you the guidance you’ll need to design the user interface of your webOS apps so they look, feel, and work like the other applications on the platform. webOS provides a rich set of features to help your user interface jump off the screen. Learn how to take advantage of them so your app stands out ¬ and fits in.
webOSdev Community Features
If you’re like most developers, you didn’t just come here to read, but you want to participate in the community, as well. webOSdev offers a full range of discussion forums and the webOSdev blog where you can do just that.- webOSdev Community Forums enable you to meet online with webOS developers from around the world, share your ideas, ask questions, and get views and expertise from the community—including from Palm technical staff, who will monitor the discussion. The forums are also the place where you can let us know what you think of the webOSdev Beta site: tell us what you like, what you don’t, and what we can do to help you advance the state of the art of mobile application development. If you haven’t done so already, complete the simple registration process and you’ll be able to participate.
- At the webOSdev blog, Palm’s Chuq von Rospach, and other Palm officials, keep you up-to-date on all things webOS. Get the latest news for developers as well as vital perspective and analysis to help you understand where Palm is headed so you can keep up. While you’re there, let Chuq know what else he could be doing to help.
We need your help
As you go through everything webOSdev has to offer, keep in mind that the site is still in Beta, and you are our Beta testers. We invite you to bang on the site (but please don’t break it), try out everything you can, and let us know what you think. We’ll start a thread on the webOSdev Community forums where you can give us your thoughts. We’ll be paying attention and using your input to chart the future course for webOSdev and the webOS ecosystem. Again, welcome: We’re glad you’re here.