19 January 2009, 12:54

jQuery 1.3 released

Version 1.3 of the jQuery JavaScript framework has been released, featuring a new selector engine, nicknamed Sizzle, which is about 49 per cent faster than previous jQuery selector mechanisms. As many JavaScript applications in web browsers spend a lot of time finding elements on a page using selectors, this should provide a boost for jQuery based applications. It's possible to use Sizzle without jQuery and the Sizzle code has also been released to the Dojo Foundation.

Also new in jQuery is support for "live events", allowing Javascript code to automatically attach callbacks to elements, before they have been created in the page. More details of the other enhancements are available in the release notes, which include details on how to upgrade, or install the framework. For developers, a new jQuery API browser allows for the browsing of the API, with either an online web app., or through an offline AIR based browser.

In a related development, the jQuery developers have announced they are now joining the Software Freedom Conservancy to adopt a more formal organisation for managing the development of the framework.

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