Thursday, April 20, 2006

GData: Google's Extensible API

Google have just announced the public release of their GData API model. Specifically, they've developed the Java and C# classes needed to develop Google Calendar applications. While this is great news for developers wishing to leverage the power of the Google Calendar with desktop and web based apps, it's even better news for those of us wondering if development on a 'Google OS' was going to be a closed system deal.

The development by Google of GData is a clear indication of how development with Google will work. The protocol and APIs are fully extensible so expect to see GMail, RSS reader, news, bookmarks, blog, and search APIs roll out using the GData API.

This really is a Good Thing, as Google have finally opened the door for some real outside development. As developers, we now have something to look at and point to when we're talking about writing applications in an world where services are more important than platforms.

The potential benefit for Google here is huge. Between my search history, mail, RSS feeds and calendar, Google already has a ridiculous amount of my information. Now with an API that promises access to this information to use the way I want to, there's one less reason to think about storing it anywhere else.

Now, I'm off to play with this API -- expect to see some Calendar applications coming soon!

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