18 August 2009, 13:02

JAK - Open source KML API for Java released

JAK logo Micromata Labs, the open source group at Micromata GmbH, has released a Java interface for KML (Keyhole Markup Language) as open source. The idea behind JAK (Java API for KML) is to make it easy for Java based systems to work with geospatial data encompassed within the KML format.

The JAK developers say that the strength of JAK versus libkml, apart from the fact that it is in Java rather than C++, is that they can rapidly track changes in the OGC's KML specification. JAK was developed at Kassel University as a result of Micromata commissioning a master's thesis.

KML was originally developed as a format for the client side of Google Earth, but is now often used elsewhere as the basis for working with Web based 2D and 3D virtual globes and for the exchange of geographic data. NASA's World Wind and Microsoft's Virtual Earth both use KML. In April 2008, Google released the format as an open standard under the control of the Open Geospatial Consortium.

The JAK (Java API for KML) framework is now available from its Google Code project page and from Micromata Labs own web site and is under a BSD licence.

(djwm)

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