There are two JavaScript utilities I can’t live without when it comes to developing Content Management Systems: Tiny MCE and Prototype. Tiny MCE creates a robust and customizable WYSIWIG editor on your textarea form elements allowing users to write copy with formatting, links, and images. It’s used in many popular projects like Word Press (which is powering this blog!) and Drupal. A word of caution that there are known library conflicts between Scriptaculous and Tiny MCE.
Prototype can be used to do very simple, elegant form validation as is demonstrated on my contact page. Dexagogo demonstrates this with great detail and offers a demo download for your learning pleasure.
With both of these libraries it’s much easier to develop forms that give your users the power to add sophisticated content while preventing input errors in a user friendly way.
Google has released a very useful tool for independent web sites called Google Co-op. You can build a custom search engine tool for your site and return results that don’t compromise the design. Search is a much needed yet often either expensive or poorly implemented utility that is essential to many sites. With a price tag of free, and an exceptionally simple set up process, it is hard to refuse.
Rollyo, whose slogan is “Roll your own search engine“, has also become popular for its simple setup, implementation, and ability to build a search engine for topics across specified sites. The amazing logo design is compliments of Dan Cederholm.
Todd Dominey’s ever popular SlideShow Pro is a great Flash utility that many people use to display their photos on their sites, but Jonathan Schemoul has a nice JavaScript alternative called Smooth Slideshow. Smooth Slideshow uses the Mootools JavaScript library to create elegant cross fading, and passive or active navigation through photos. Mootools is similar to Scriptaculous, but is allegedly a bit slimmer to cut down on download times.
I doubt Smooth Slideshow is going to dethrone SlideShow Pro as the king of slide show mechanisms (especially with the recent introduction of SlideShow Pro Director), but it’s nice to have an alternative. Speaking of slide show alternatives, you might also want to check out Mono Slideshow, another flash slide show application with very similar features as SlideShow Pro.
