A Feel For XUL

The interesting thing about XUL applets is their lightweight, interpreted nature. XUL, JavaScript, and CSS code are all interpreted languages, and each lacks the formality of fully object-oriented languages. The simplicity and ease of expression of XUL makes it a great technology for GUI prototyping. Its flexibility makes it easy to rip apart and re-organize such GUIs.

Although restricted to the Mozilla platform, a number of business scenarios can benefit from this approach, particularly intranets where client software is configuration controlled in the first place. Other examples are delivery of analysis or data entry software terminals to power users. The features of XUL illustrated in this article are just the tip of the iceberg.