jQuery for Mobile arrives for mobile Web

In recent years, a software project called jQuery has spread far and wide across the Web, bringing sophisticated user interface features and easing the difficulties of working with multiple browsers.

Now the first version of the software has arrived for the mobile Web, with the release of jQuery Mobile 1.0. The software is prebuilt code to help programmers create Web sites–and even packaged Web apps–using standards such as HTML, JavaScript, and CSS.

The software, whose premier sponsor is Adobe Systems, smooths over differences among many mobile browsers it supports, including those of iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and BlackBerry, as well as standalone mobile versions of Opera and Firefox.

“We’ve been working hard at bringing jQuery support to all mobile browsers that are sufficiently capable and have at least a nominal amount of market share. In this way, we’re treating mobile Web browsers exactly how we treat desktop Web browsers,” the jQuery Mobile documentation states.

Also released is the ThemeRoller for jQuery Mobile that lets developers visually design a specific look to user-interface elements such as menus, buttons, title bars, and Web links.