Introduction:
mootools is a very compact, modular, Object-Oriented javascript framework. Its unique design makes it extremely crossbrowser, easy to use, and a snap to extend with your own code. It comes with a choice of more than fifteen scripts, plugins and add-ons, including Effects, based on (moo.fx) Ajax, based on (moo.ajax), Dom Navigator, based on (moo.dom), Drag and Drop, Sortable lists, cookies Manager and many more. All the previous moo scripts have been made better, reorganized and extended to fully take advantage of the new OO architecture. One of the big differences is The Element Extension: mootools makes it possible for you to extend HTML elements with your own methods, to make your life easier and your coding style way cooler.
Modularity
Did I tell you it was modular? With the new stylish download page, you can build your very download based on your needs, and you’ll get just one file. All the dependancies are calculated automatically, so you don’t even have to think about it. You can also choose the compression method: high (very compressed) medium (no comments and spaces) and none (no compression). Please note that all the scripts, plugins, addons together are ~30kb, uncompressed. If you chose to compress them, you’ll save more or less the 50% of it all. But worry not, in most cases you wont need all the scripts, resulting in a download of something between 8-10 kb. If this wasn’t enough already, you can also browse and checkout the SVN Repository, or make a download out of it (but I suggest you to use the release download).
Resources
If you feel lost there’s a forum and a wiki, but dont forget to read the documentation!
Browsers Compatibility
mootools is compatible and fully tested with Safari, internet explorer 6 and 7, Firefox (and its mozilla friends), Opera and Camino.
License
As always, mootools is released with the Open Source MIT license, which permits you to use it and modify it in every scenario. Commercial, non-commercial, pro-bono, pro-money, on phishing sites and spamming emails (just kidding).
Credits
I want to really thank everyone who made this library possible:
- Sam Stephenson : thanks for prototype, that got me started on object-oriented javascript, and from which I got the ideas of many of the mootools features and methods.
- Dean Edwards: The very core script of mootools is based on your Base.js. Thanks!
- Giorgio Piacentini: who tested, played tekken and cried at explorer bugs with me during the make of mootools.
- Andrea Giammarchi for his wonderful javascriptCompressor, used in mootools download, and released under the GPL License. Grazie Andrea!
- Yaroslaff Fedin: Who helped me to ultra-optimize mootools, digged through the source several times to remove every single line of useless code, and most of all, the one who got me started on regular expressions. Thank You!
- Aaron Newton: For all the documentation you made!!