Zimki Offers a New Web 2.0 JavaScript Development Platform

The service offers JavaScript-centric development and hosting features

JavaScriptSearch
Friday, August 4, 2006; 04:03 AM

Zimki is a web-based development platform, with an emphasis on JavaScript, that can prove attractive to people who are new to programming for the internet.  Everything--the bright colors of the website, the detailed how-to with screenshots, the free starter pack--shows that Zimki tries to get the attention of web development enthusiasts.  Once they have developed and hosted their web application with Zimki, they get a limited number of free server "calls" per month, which the start-up says will be enough for small websites.  For professionals and high-bandwidth access, there is the paid option.

Zimki hosts and runs JavaScript code, in addition to keeping HTML and CSS files, so that users can create dynamic webpages. Noting that the popularity of AJAX has provided web developers with the resources for creating complete JavaScript-centric solutions,  Zimki dispenses with other internet technologies like CGI and PHP. No database setup is needed - all is taken care of for you.

After registering with Zimki,  users are taken to their section of the portal (the so-called "realm"), where a management bar offers acces to options for uploading files, tracking site resources, creating templates, as well as writing and testing JavaScript code.  Users are given API keys, which serve as a mechanism for managing the number of "calls."

The site contains a FAQ section and some learning resources (including a mammoth 100 page "Getting Started" PDF).  The Zimki team said the service is still in beta, and the ammount and quality of documentation will continue to grow. 

Zimki in a nutshell:

• Per call billing, no upfront costs
• Javascript on both server and client
• Web accessible persistence framework
• Powerful library of APIs
• User management, with Captcha confirmed registration
• Ready made statistics & reports
• Javascript file hosting, allowing AJAX applications to use the services