The Rise of the MindTouch Apps
I recently wrote an in-depth technical FAQ article on how to use jQuery AJAX to access the MindTouch API. The article was first posted on the forums for technical review and is now ready to be shared on the blog. I’m also happy to report that it has already inspired a few community members to experiment on their own and share their newly gained insights.
jQuery is an extremely popular JavaScript library that is most famous for how easy it makes modifying page contents dynamically. Many effects, such as hiding or showing elements, moving elements around, highlighting and so on are all easily accomplished with jQuery. However, jQuery also provides some neat AJAX functionality. Combined with JEM, which was introduced in MindTouch 2009, makes it incredibly easy to start building Rich Internet Application (RIAs) directly inside your wiki pages. Though, you will need the UNSAFECONTENT permission to execute JEM.
JEM (JavaScript with Events and Messages) is a pre-processor that makes it create rich interactive, event- and message-driven code that is easily meshed with DekiScript. Sounds confusing doesn’t it? It might be at first, but the net result is that you can create some neat things with fairly little code. The TODO template was one of our first proof-of-concept apps and has become quite popular. It is a great example of well JEM and DekiScript play together to create simple and effective productivity apps. Since then, the community has been busily at work combining the puzzle pieces into some pretty apps. For example, neilw built a collapsible-tree template, and blakeh built a bug-tracker and a dynamic data-table template.
Over the coming months, we will continue to build new templates, mature existing ones, and also help community members like yourself create their own. My goal is to reach critical mass to launch an open app gallery where we can feature popular apps and where new ones can easily be shared. In the meantime, head over to the forums, join the fray, and participate in the rise of the MindTouch apps! ;)
[...] The Rise of the MindTouch Apps « MindTouch Developer Blog – Over the coming months, we will continue to build new templates, mature existing ones, and also help community members like yourself create their own. My goal is to reach critical mass to launch an open app gallery where we can feature popular apps and where new ones can easily be shared. In the meantime, head over to the forums, join the fray, and participate in the rise of the MindTouch apps! [...]
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:02 amWow! I was not aware of these apps. The bug-tracker is wonderful! Why are these hidden away in community members user namespaces? Great work!
PS- I love the cup of robots too. :-)
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:24 amHeh heh. My apps made the blog! Surprising.
July 4th, 2009 at 8:44 pmAnyway, I’m really excited about the revolution of apps! Applications built on applications built on applic…. you get the idea. It’s happening everywhere. I mean, have you seen Facebook? Google wave (I can’t wait) is another example, though it hasn’t been released to the public yet. Web 2.0, we love you.
[...] have no idea where Steve found this drawing. He used it at the MindTouch developer blog and I love [...]
July 28th, 2009 at 9:31 pm