Tobias Oetiker presented training on how to build simple applications using the Qooxdoo framework at the LISA conference, and opened the doors to attendees to a new, innovative breed of application framework.

Qooxdoo (pronounced kooks-doo) is an Ajax application framework, which is utilized to build standalone web applications solely with Javascript. After speaking with Oetiker about the Qooxdoo framework it has become apparent that Qooxdoo is revolutionary for designing web applications. There were many questions that surfaced when introduced to the framework, such as “How is this even possible?” and “Is this yet another Ajax framework?” After questioning Tobi, it is apparent that this is not an ordinary Ajax framework and there is definitely a bit of voodoo in Qooxdoo.

Q (Sacks): Can you please explain how Qooxdoo works for readers who might be interested in the framework but doesn’t really know what it is?
A (Oetiker): Qooxdoo is for ’standalone’ applications running in the web-browser – sort of a new breed of creature. Something that was attempted with Java years ago.

Q (Sacks): Is Qooxdoo an Ajax framework?
A (Oetiker): Yes, but it is not a collection of Ajax/DHTML widgets.

Q (Sacks): How is Qooxdoo unique from other Ajax/Javascript frameworks?
A (Oetiker): It provides a framework for writing complete applications in JavaScript. In contains everything you need, done in a very tasteful and technically skilled manner.

Q (Sacks): Qooxdoo seems to compile all of libraries into a single js file, does this make troubleshooting more difficult?
A (Oetiker): The trick is that Qooxdoo allows you to run the application also
from the “uncompiled” Javascript source files. So while debugging you use the original files and only convert them to the single file format when you deploy the application.

Q (Sacks): Would you call a Qooxdoo page a web application or something else?
A (Oetiker): Yes you would call it a web application I guess … but only because of the lack of a better word. There is some good material on Qooxdoo in http://resources.qooxdoo.org/download/presentation/Ajax%20in%20Action%202008%20-%20GUI-Development%20with%20qooxdoo%20-%20with%20notes.pdf

Qooxdoo offers a simple way to build and entire web application into a single Javascript file and deploy it on a web server. This is a rather amazing feat considering it is a purely web-based (no application server) web application, allowing for database callbacks and all of the other full features of an Ajax-based application. The Qooxdoo training at LISA presented how to build an application with Qooxdoo and debunked the internals of the framework and how to fully leverage it’s features.