Web Runtime widgets

Optimised, focused, relevant web content made easy

Web Runtime (WRT) extends the Web Browser for S60 to enable widgets — those small, focused web applications that are so popular on PCs. WRT makes it easy for a developer to offer an optimised web experience that a user can access with a single click.

WRT widgets can transform the web into a truly personal mobile experience. Integration with features of Symbian through Platform Services 1.0, Nokia Platform Services 2.0, or the APIBridge component, enables widgets to access information, such as a device’s location, and share it with a web server to offer unprecedented levels of relevance in web content.

The home screen on the latest Nokia Symbian devices, such as the Nokia N97 mini, enables widgets to display a read-only view, so information from your website is permanently visible to users.

Widget development is simplified with plug-ins for Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio. These plug-ins enable developers to create, edit, test, validate, package, and deploy widgets, all from within their favourite web development tool.

In addition, WRT widgets can be distributed to millions of Nokia device users around the world through the Ovi Store.

Documents and examples »
Tools »
E-learning »
Discussion Boards »
Wiki »

What’s the latest news about the widget technology from Nokia?

Forum Nokia has updated APIBridge, a component that enables WRT widgets to communicate with a set of Symbian plug-ins. Using APIBridge developers can add features to their WRT widgets to upload files to a website; capture video, images, and audio; read files resident on a device; resize images; access and create thumbnail images; access a device’s log information; access a device’s location; and access media on a device among others.

Because APIBridge uses a plug-in architecture it enables developers to make new features available to WRT widgets. These features may be from Symbian or third-party native Symbian applications.

For more information, go to the APIBridge page »

Overview

Widgets are small applications, based on standard web technologies, that typically serve as front ends to Web 2.0 services or internet content. Web designers and developers use widgets to make favourite internet experiences available from the idle screen or Applications menu of a Symbian device through single clicks or as read-only content on the home screen of the Nokia N97 mobile computer and Nokia N97 mini.

In just hours or days, using the web design skills you already have for creating HTML, CSS, or JavaScript™ code, you can provide mobile users with an engaging, easy-to-use interface to your web service. Development becomes even more straightforward when using the plug-ins designed for Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio. Keep in mind that, widgets offer the opportunity to create one-to-one relationships with your customers, because content served through a widget establishes a focus and level of trust that you can build on. When a widget interacts with information on a user’s device, it helps to reinforce that trust by presenting the most relevant content to the user. The benefits of widgets don’t stop with ease of development and user engagement. Deployment is simple: Widgets can be distributed in the same way as any Symbian application. The Ovi Store is the best option for reaching millions of Nokia users all over the world. To get your widgets distributed through the Ovi Store, sign up on the publish to Ovi website.

From a technical perspective widgets run in WRT, a web application runtime environment that is part of the popular Web Browser for S60. As with widgets for PCs, WRT widgets are lightweight applications created using standards-based web technologies, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Ajax technologies. In fact, you can port many PC widgets to WRT with very little effort — and you can use your existing web-authoring tools to create and package your work.

Read more about the technology available to WRT widgets »

A widget can combine information from the internet with data stored or available on a device to create new, personalised service experiences. With access, for example, to location information from a device’s GPS hardware, widgets can give users information that's relevant to their location. When it comes to creating more-personal and context-aware widgets, there are several technologies to choose from:

• Platform Services 1.0 JavaScript API. Available for selected Symbian OS, S60 3.2 and all Symbian OS 5.0 devices from Nokia, this API provides access to a wide range of device and user information, such as Calendar and Contacts application data.
  
  View the API reference documentation »
  
  
• Nokia Platform Services 2.0 beta JavaScript API. This API provides very similar access to device information to that provided by Platform Services 1.0 JavaScript API, but with the addition of camera support. Currently available for Symbian OS, S60 5.0 devices, this new API offers access to device information through one or two lines of JavaScript code only.
  
  Read more about Nokia Platform Services 2.0 beta JavaScript API »
  View the API reference documentation »
  
  
• APIBridge. This technology provides JavaScript APIs for various capabilities of Symbian through plug-ins on Symbian OS, S60 3.1 or later devices. APIBridge complements the platform services APIs with features for file activities, image manipulation, and multimedia capture as well as providing an alternative mechanism for using multimedia, logging, and location services. APIBridge can be extended with additional plug-ins to access other Symbian features or features offered by third-party native Symbian applications. APIBridge is available for use in Java applications and Flash Lite content also.
  
  Read more about APIBridge »
  View the API reference documentation »

Read more about the Platform Services technology available to WRT widgets »

Security

WRT’s emphasis is on providing access to internet services, so widgets don't need to be signed.

As the leading mobile-device manufacturer, Nokia takes mobile security seriously. For Symbian OS, S60 3.x devices, widgets don't create additional security risks compared with those of a browser executing JavaScript technology. JavaScript technology is provided with a tightly controlled environment in which third-party code runs: This is often referred to as a sandbox security model.

For selected Symbian OS, S60 3.2 and all Symbian OS, S60 5.0 devices from Nokia, widgets benefit from the ability to connect to core applications and capabilities of the Symbian platform, such as Contacts, Calendar, and GPS. Because this feature involves JavaScript code’s accessing user information, security is maintained through a process of user authorisation. Widgets can access device information only if the device user authorises such access.

Tools

Because WRT widgets are created using standard web technologies, they can be created using your favourite web-content editor. The only other tool you need to create a WRT widget is a ZIP application with which you can build the widget’s installation package. For users of Aptana Studio, Adobe Dreamweaver, and Microsoft Visual Studio there are the Nokia WRT plug-ins and extensions, which simplify the process of creating, editing, testing, validating, packaging, and deploying WRT widgets.

WRT widgets can also be tested on your PC using the emulator supplied in the S60 3rd Edition, Feature Pack 2, S60 5th Edition, and Nokia N97 SDKs. Please note that the S60 5th Edition or Nokia N97 SDKs will be required to test widgets that access platform services. Developers can also test widgets using the Remote Device Access or Forum Nokia Virtual Developer Lab, services that provide access to real Nokia devices over the internet.

Screencasts introducing developers to the Nokia WRT Plug-in features:

Creating widgets with the Nokia WRT Plug-in for Aptana Studio
Creating widgets with the Nokia WRT Plug-in for Visual Studio
Creating widgets with the Nokia WRT Extension for Adobe Dreamweaver

More information on tools for WRT widget and web development can be found on the Tools for Mobile Web Developers page »

Distribution

There are many ways in which you can distribute your WRT widgets. You can make them available on your website or as downloads in a third-party portal. Among these options, the publish to Ovi solution for developers and the Ovi Store for consumers make it easier to bring your WRT widgets to consumers around the world.

For more information on the Ovi Store, please go to the Forum Nokia Go to Market page »