Initial release snubs IE compatibility

Google is previewing Dart, a new programming language for building web apps. The language has been designed to be flexible, meeting the needs of a one-person project, without much structure, and scaling up to a large-scale project needing formal types in the code. Initially the code will support at least Chrome, Safari 5, and Firefox 4 browsers, but not Internet Explorer.

Dart has three design objectives: create a structured yet flexible language for web programming, provide a easy to learn familiar and natural look and feel to programmers, and provide high performance on all modern web browsers and environments ranging from small handhelds to servers.

The Dart code can can be written either on a native virtual machine or on top of a JavaScript engine that compiles and translates Dart code to JavaScript. Google has made the Dart language and preliminary tools available as open source on a dedicated website, dartlang.org.

Its release potentially addresses the common complaint of JavaScript's old roots and relatively complex design. Google is keen on driving users to the web, especially for Chromebooks that don't have any true native app support, and will want to encourage as many web apps as possible. It also has the potential to spur more cross-platform support, such as web apps that could handle the same tasks on Android, BlackBerry, and iOS.

By Electronista Staff