The Windows Library for JavaScript project releases WinJS 3.0

The Windows Library for JavaScript project has announced the general availability of its 1st release – WinJS 3.0. Microsoft has rolled out this update for its WinJS JavaScript library. The library as we know, includes a set of JavaScript toolkits that allow developers to build applications, particularly Metro Apps in Windows 8 using HTML/JS/CSS technology.

Win JS 3.0 Release

The year old project which is now in its third version originally started under the Apache 2.0 license as an Open Source project. The latest update to WinJS library aims to add new capabilities to JavaScript while retaining JavaScript’s cross platform nature.

This means a developer could write an app for the iPhone or Google’s Android using WinJS. The functionality is not just limited to apps. It is extended across browsers too using technologies like Apache Cordova.

The WinJS 3.0 release offers customers:

1. Cross-browser/cross-platform support spanning the most popular desktop and mobile browsers, as well as HTML-based app environments like Apache Cordova
2. JavaScript modularization giving developers the control to optimize their performance and load just the modules of the WinJS library they need for their web site or app.
3. Improved universal control designs delivering a more seamless experience for end users across Phone, Tablet, and PC device form factors of various screen sizes and input types.

The Windows Library for JavaScript (WinJS) project is pleased to announce the general availability of its first release – WinJS 3.0 – since the open source project began at //BUILD 2014, posted Rachel Nizhnikova, Program Manager, Windows Ecosystem & Frameworks Team on Windows Blog.

The app developers using the library can now contribute back to the project, provide feedback, propose new features, report bugs and submit code changes that will help the library change in a way the developers desire. Major items that has been addressed in the 3.0 release include cross-platform infrastructure improvements for layout, keyboarding, string localization, and support for right-to-left languages.

You can find complete list of changes and improvements here.