Webtop for Developers
Webtop SDK is the fastest way for developers to create their own Webtop solutions and leverage the award-winning OpenLaszlo development platform to extend, brand and build applications that seamlessly interoperate inside the Laszlo Webtop framework.
Webtop contains a client-server framework to support advanced Ajax applications. It consists of a server-side component, implemented as a Java servlet that can run in any Java servlet container, and client-side components, which are included as OpenLaszlo libraries.
The OpenLaszlo servlet is typically used during development for compiling applications, but may be deployed alongside Webtop if OpenLaszlo server features are required by an application.
Webtop Architectural Overview
| Developer Features | Benefits |
| Rapid Development Approach | Modular service creation/delivery platform allows a structured and compartmentalized means of delivering new services to users. As a result, it is possible to design and develop different aspects of a multi-application project separately and concurrently. |
| Plug-in Applications | Seamless integration of custom-developed or Laszlo-supplied applications. New applications can leverage and extend existing ones without modification. |
| SmartObjects™ | Laszlo Webtop provides a framework for drag and drop via data objects called SmartObjects. SmartObjects can be used to move data, such as Events, Contacts and emails within and across applications. Laszlo Webtop applications can define their own SmartObjects. Once defined, any other application may leverage the definition and behaviors of the SmartObject. |
| Flexible Windowing | Using the CSS-based skinning capabilities along with its replaceable window manager within Webtop, you can control the appearance and behavior of all windows within your Webtop-based interface. |
| Service Orchestration | The API framework in Webtop optimizes and consolidates network interactions across modules. Laszlo Webtop supports a higher-level means of interacting with back-end data. This results in better end-user responsiveness, lower bandwidth utilization, and looser coupling of back-end services. |
| Customizable Interface | Laszlo Webtop provides developers with a flexible and consistent customization of branding and “look and feel” that can be applied across all applications. |
| Single Sign on | Secure authentication passed to individual applications. Built-in support for per user/per application preferences and state. |
| External SSO | Built-in integration with external SSO systems. |
| Webtop Application APIs | Information in the Contacts application (name, address, phone numbers, etc.) is available to other Webtop application. For example, Mail integrates with Contact to populate the To: and c: fields of a new mail message via drag and drop or the auto suggest API. Contacts an also be extended to include new rollover icons to perform a particular task or function, such as click-to-call. Mail functionality, such as Compose and Send messages, can be available to other Webtop applications. For example, a new Webtop application could email a confirmation after a transaction. Webtop application can also access Calendar features such as create new calendar and create new event. |
