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XMPP Developers Get .NET Client Library
Jabber introduces JabberWerx Client Libraries, a set of libraries for .NET and AJAX programmers working with XMPP.
Jabber Inc. has released a set of client libraries aimed at .NET and AJAX programmers who want to use the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) to add presence and messages to their applications. The new JabberWerx Client Libraries comprise a set of dev tools for writing XMPP-enabled apps from scratch.
XMPP is a set of streaming XML protocols for messaging on the Internet, developed by the Jabber open source community. It enables the exchange of messages, presence and other structured information in near real time between two points. Google Inc.'s instant messaging platform, Google Talk, is based on XMPP.
The JabberWerx libraries provide developers with a set of commercially supported tools for XMPP development. According to Jabber CTO Joe Hildebrand, both libraries address the growing need among developers to embed for presence and messaging capabilities into their apps. His Denver-based company specializes in enterprise instant messaging (EIM) and presence technologies. EIM, he says, is to IM what consumer-grade e-mail is to corporate e-mail. "Presence" refers to the availability of a person, an application or a device to exchange information with another person, application or device, he explains. It's a kind of condition gauge that conveys ability and willingness to communicate.
The JabberWerx .NET Library is based on the .NET Framework and written in C#, but it's also accessible from other .NET languages, such as VB.NET. The Library's key feature: it enables access to XMPP functionality from the .NET Framework, and can connect to the Jabber Extensible Communications Platform (Jabber XCP) as either a client or a component. The company describes XCP as a presence, messaging and XML-routing platform. The .NET Library additionally supports one-to-one and group chat; presence and contact list management; support for authentication and entity capabilities and Bidirectional-streams Over Synchronous HTTP (BOSH) connectivity, as well as publish-and-subscribe functionality.
The AJAX version was developed in collaboration with Crowd Favorite Ltd., a development and consulting firm specializing in Web-based software and Web development consulting. The focus is on building XMPP-based, presence-enabled Web 2.0 apps with JavaScript. The library supports one-to-one instant messaging, group chat, presence display, BOSH, client-side data persistence across multiple Web pages and client-side updates from XMPP-triggered events.
Both Libraries are designed to simplify the development of things like chat in blogs or social networking sites, customer support portals in Web sites and notification apps for live updates (weather conditions, stock tickers and breaking news), the company says.
About the Author
John K. Waters is the editor in chief of a number of Converge360.com sites, with a focus on high-end development, AI and future tech. He's been writing about cutting-edge technologies and culture of Silicon Valley for more than two decades, and he's written more than a dozen books. He also co-scripted the documentary film Silicon Valley: A 100 Year Renaissance, which aired on PBS. He can be reached at [email protected].