AJAX Feed API to be launched today
Google is launching a new AJAX API that makes it extremely easy to consume feeds within javascript. For most cases, server-side feed consumption for me will be a thing of the past since it's now so easy on the client side. A simple javascript call gives you a shiny new JSON object to use as you like.
Including feeds in JavaScript mashups is notoriously difficult. The Google AJAX Feed API takes the pain out of the process by enabling developers to access feeds with just a few lines of JavaScript code instead of struggling with server-side proxies or delving into the complexities of XML. The API automatically handles the proxying and offers a clean, straightforward interface for accessing syndicated data.
Using the Google AJAX Feed API, a developer might:
* Display a dynamic blogroll on a personal homepage
* Display recent photos from a public Picasa Web Albums feed on a blog
* Plot a feed of news events on a Google Ma
Bret Taylor will feature this new API today at the O'Reilly Web 2.0 Expo in a talk titled, "Who Needs Server-Side Code? AJAX APIs and Product Integration 2.0". You can already see documentation and samples online here.
This API supports several feed types, so you really don't have to worry about what format the feed you are consuming is actually in. This list includes:
From what I can tell by scanning through the terms, you must only develop services that are made accessible to end users without charge. Also, there doesn't seem to be any restrictions as to the number of requests you can make using this API -- which is good news for owners of high traffic websites.