14 DAY TRIAL // Windows Azure is a tangible example of Microsoft’s strong efforts to drive interoperability and to build a truly open platform. Developers can already create Cloud projects using ASP.NET, C#, PHP and Java, but the software giant’s work is far from over, with new enhancements delivered constantly, the latest of which are making the platform even more open to Java and PHP. At the 2010 Professional Developers Conference (PDC 2010) in Redmond, Vijay Rajagopalan, Microsoft Principal Architect, revealed that a Community technology Preview (CTP) of Windows Azure tools for Eclipse/Java is planned for availability by the end of 2010.
Windows Azure tools for Eclipse/Java are being built by Soyatec a partner which the Redmond company tapped for the project.
An established Eclipse solution provider, Soyatec is developing Windows Azure tools for Eclipse/Java as open source.
“These tools allow Java developers to build, test Java applications and deploy these directly to Windows Azure. While these tools have similar features to the Windows Azure Tools for Eclipse/PHP, which we announced earlier this month, these latest tools are designed for Java developers,” Rajagopalan explained.
Eclipse developers building for Windows Azure and leveraging Java, might be already familiar with Soyatec.
Windows Azure SDK for Java, now at versions 2.0, was also put together by Soyatec. “This SDK enables Java developers easily use Windows Azure storage services in their web applications. I’m really excited about the progress we are making. As you may remember, at PDC 09, we delivered the first version of this Windows Azure SDK for Java,” Rajagopalan said.
There also enhancements delivered for devs creating PHP projects for Windows Azure. Two tools put together especially for PHP developers have been updated, the Windows Azure Tools for Eclipse/PHP and the Windows Azure Companion which both received new November 2010 CTPs.
“In addition, we are launching a new online technical/resource website dedicated to Windows Azure and PHP. This site will be a one stop shop for PHP developers to discover, learn and get expertise on Windows Azure. A beta version of the site is available at http://AzurePHP.interoperabilitybridges.com,” Rajagopalan noted.