Adobe releases Alpha version of Apollo for free

Adobe Systems Incorporated on Monday has released its long awaited Alpha version of its new software codenamed Adobe Apollo, providing developers with a free preview of its forthcoming development tool that allows users to run Web applications both online as well as offline.

The first public alpha version of Apollo, which is intended to facilitate the work of Web designers and programmers, is now available for developers on Adobe Labs site, Adobe said.

Developers can download the alpha version of the Apollo application runtime and the Apollo Software Developer's Kit (SDK), which provides a set of command line tools to develop and work with Apollo applications, for free from the site.

"With this alpha release, we're continuing our collaborative effort with the community of developers and designers to further evolve how the world engages with ideas and information," said Kevin Lynch, chief software architect and a senior vice president at Adobe. "We can't wait to see what the community will create in this new medium."

Applications that run on Apollo, the code name for a cross-operating system application runtime, will function like normal web applications, but will also function like desktop software as well, meaning it will allow web developers to leverage their existing skills in HTML, JavaScript and Ajax, as well as Adobe Flash and Adobe Flex software to build and deploy rich Internet applications (RIAs) on the desktop.

"RIAs have become a core element of today's Web computing experience. We're working to enable this new generation of innovative applications to bridge the chasm between the Web and the personal computer. Apollo will empower millions of Web developers to make their RIAs first-class citizens on the desktop using the tools they already know," Lynch added.

The technology allows Web developers use the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) of their choice, including Adobe tools such as Eclipse-based Flex Builder, Flash and Dreamweaver software to develop Apollo applications in significantly less time than it takes to create and deploy conventional desktop applications.

The Apollo runtime and SDK, which is available in English, are operational on both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. The upcoming versions will be available for Linux and will include deeper Ajax support, integrate PDF, and will leverage mobile technologies.

In future versions, Apollo's integration with the desktop will let people drag and drop items, such as image files and other media assets, directly into Apollo applications.

The alpha download that supports HTML, JavaScript and Flash programming besides Adobe's own PDF format is being eagerly awaited among developers who specialize in creating rich Internet applications.

By giving users an alternative for building web-based applications that can also run on the desktop independent of a browser, Adobe is apparently trying to follow Microsoft, which has been ramping up its own strategy to give developers tools for building web applications. However Microsoft has been trying to restrict those applications to its Windows desktop OS and development environment.