Developing OpenSocial Applications

Because OpenSocial gadgets are an XML document containing HTML and Javascript, they can easily be coded in a text editor. However, in order to test these gadgets, developers will need an OpenSocial container to load the gadget into.

Google Gadget Editor
This tool will allow you to code and save an OpenSocial Gadget and render it via a Google OpenSocial Container. It is a very quick way to test your gadget but will not work if you are accessing and APIs which are not publically exposed (for example APIs which are authenticated by IP).

Yahoo Application Platform
This tool will allow you to code and import an OpenSocial Gadget that can be tested in Yahoo's OpenSocial container.

Running your own Container via Apache Shindig
Developers can also install and configure their won Apache Shindig server to act as a container for testing gadgets.

OpenSocial Development Environment (OSDE) Eclipse Plug-in

The purpose of this project is to make an IDE development tool for OpenSocial applications. OpenSocial Development Environment (OSDE) is provided as an Eclipse Plug-in. OSDE allows you to develop and test OpenSocial applications very easily.

• OSDE Project
• OSDE User Guide
• OSDE Tutorial

Eclipse-based Development of OpenSocial Apps

With the introduction of the Eclipse based OpenSocial Development Environment (OSDE), it is now possible to build OpenSocial applications directly within Eclipse, as opposed to a live sandbox environment. This means you can easily develop OpenSocial compliant applications entirely in a stand-alone manner, within the context of a modern Integrated Development Environment (IDE). OSDE provides a rich set of features that both enable and enhance OpenSocial application development for both the client within a gadget, or even on a server using the Java RESTful client libraries.

Its features include:

• A built in Shindig server for local testing and debugging.
• An integrated database based on the Java H2 for storing and managing social data.
• Simple project and gadget code generation wizards to quickly generate your OpenSocial application projects and application code.
• A multi-paned gadget spec editor that facilitates productive gadget development.
• A new "OpenSocial" Eclipse perspective that provides enhanced editing and debugging with easy access and control of the local Shindig and social database.
• An OpenSocial REST Java client wizard that can quickly generate a new project along with sample code that uses the OpenSocial RESTful Java client library to connect to the local OpenSocial server.

Further Resources

• OpenSocial Tutorials
• Google Gadgets Developer Guide