A decentralized approach for programming interactive applications with javascript and blockly

Assaf Marron, Gera Weiss, Guy Wiener

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

29 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a decentralized-control methodology and a toolset for developing interactive user interfaces. We focus on the common case of developing the client side of Web applications. Our approach is to combine visual programming using Google Blockly with a single-threaded implementation of behavioral programming in JavaScript.We show how the behavioral programming principles can be implemented with minimal programming resources, i.e., with a singlethreaded environment using coroutines. We give initial, yet full, examples of how behavioral programming is instrumental in addressing common issues in this application domain, e.g., that it facilitates separation of graphical representation from logic and handling of complex inter-object scenarios. The implementation in JavaScript and Blockly (separately and together) expands the availability of behavioral programming capabilities, previously implemented in LSC, Java, Erlang and C++, to audiences with different skill-sets and design approaches.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSPLASH 2012
Subtitle of host publicationAGERE 2012 - Proceedings of the 2012 ACM Workshop on Programming Systems, Languages and Applications Based on Actors, Agents, and Decentralized Control Abstractions
Pages59-69
Number of pages11
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2012
Event2012 2nd ACM Workshop on Programming Systems, Languages and Applications Based on Actors, Agents, and Decentralized Control Abstractions, AGERE 2012 - Tucson, AZ, United States
Duration: 21 Oct 201222 Oct 2012

Publication series

NameSPLASH 2012: AGERE 2012 - Proceedings of the 2012 ACM Workshop on Programming Systems, Languages and Applications Based on Actors, Agents, and Decentralized Control Abstractions

Conference

Conference2012 2nd ACM Workshop on Programming Systems, Languages and Applications Based on Actors, Agents, and Decentralized Control Abstractions, AGERE 2012
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityTucson, AZ
Period21/10/1222/10/12

Keywords

  • Behavioral programming
  • Browser
  • Client-side
  • Coroutines
  • Google blockly
  • HTML 5
  • Javascript
  • Visual programming
  • Web application

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Modeling and Simulation

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