Google Gadgets are dynamic web content that can be embedded on a web page. They can be added to and interact strongly with Google's iGoogle personalized home page and the Google Desktop application, as well as Google Wave. Webmasters can add and customize a gadget to their own business or personal web site, a process called "syndication."
Gadgets are developed by Google and third-party developers using the Google Gadgets API, using basic web technologies such as XML and JavaScript.
Contents |
With the advent of Google Wave, gadgets can now have persistent storage and multi-user capabilities and better state management. Gadgets using Google Wave in this way are simply known as 'Wave Gadgets'. For instance, a game that is written using a Google Gadget can use Google Wave technology to record a list of users and high scores without having to worry about how to permanently store the scores on a hosted server. The use of Google Wae gives the gadget multi-user and permanent storage capabilities. For example, scores can be stored in a Google Wave which is hosted permanently by Google at no cost to the user.
Google Gadgets are written in XML and can have HTML and Javascript compoents and can use Google Wave.
Here is an example of a Hello World program written using Google Gadget technology.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?> <Module> <ModulePrefs title="simple hello world example" /> <Content type="html"> <![CDATA[ Hello, world! ]]> </Content> </Module>