Opera Announces Specification for File I/O Access in Widgets

Web applications have historically had very little access to data stored on the device they are running on — this model is secure, but limits the power of developers trying to create cutting edge “hybrid” applications that draw functionality in from both the desktop and the Web.

This is all changing however — Opera has stepped up to the plate with the draft specification for File I/O access in widgets, soon to be published on the W3C, which provides this power. This allows widgets to securely access the device and its data, opening up new possibilities for web applications.

Sounds exciting? You can try it today! Download an experimental Opera build containing an early version of the File I/O APIs and start writing cool stuff with them. You can view the full documentation], examples are available here to provide inspiration.

Note: This is an experimental technology preview build, so use it at your own risk. While it is based on an interim snapshot of Opera 9.5 it does not constitute an indication of what features and functionality will be present in Opera 9.5 Final release.

We’d love to hear your feedback on this new release. Feel free to start some discussions and leave feedback at the Opera forums.