14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has worked to simplify the process of building Java web applications tailored to Windows Azure, offering developers open source resources to streamline tasks such as configuring, packaging and deployment.
Since it introduced its Cloud platform to the world, the Redmond company made it perfectly clear that interoperability was one of the pillars on which Windows Azure was based.
Languages such as .NET, PHP, Ruby or Java can all be leveraged for Windows Azure projects, whether they are designed to run on top of the platform or to simply hook into the OS and take advantage of the services offered which residing on another Cloud or even on-premise servers.
The release of a new Windows Azure Starter Kit comes to boost the Cloud experience of Java developers according to Jean-Christophe Cimetiere, Sr. Technical Evangelist.
Devs can head over to CodePlex and download the Community Technology Preview (CTP) of the Windows Azure Starter Kit for Java.
“The goal for this CTP is to get feedback from Java developers, and to nail down the correct experience for Java developers, particularly to make sure that configuring, packaging and deploying to Windows Azure integrates well with common practices,” Cimetiere explained.
“This Starter Kit was designed to work as a simple command line build tool or in the Eclipse integrated development environment (IDE).
“It uses Apache Ant as part of the build process, and includes an Ant extension that’s capable of understanding Window Azure configuration options.”
The Windows Azure Starter Kit for Java is not only available for download free of charge, but it’s actually an open source project. Illustrative of this is the fact that Microsoft has launched it under the Apache 2.0 license.
Unpacking the Windows Azure Starter Kit for Java .ZIP file will provide access to a template project as well as to the Ant extension.
“If you look inside this archive you will find the typical files that constitute a Java project, as well as several files we built that will help you test, package and deploy your application to Windows Azure,” Cimetiere added.
The Windows Azure Starter Kit for Java is available for download here.