Google Curries Favor with Developers

Google engineers have used their flex time to create a set of online tools for open source developers. The tools, found at the Google Code Web site, include Google APIs and libraries, a source code repository and other language-specific programming utilities.

Google has turned to third party developers to build on its own technologies including its AdSense contextual advertising program, desktop search, Gmail and Google Maps. The site is intended to build community around these different initiatives.

When BetaNews asked what the purpose and goals of the site were, a Google spokesperson told BetaNews, "The goal of Google code is to give Google engineers the opportunity to share some of what they've learned with the developer community.

"Our hope is that by making programs faster, easier to debug, and more reliable Google Code will help others develop better software."

In its earliest phase, Google Code will only provide programming toolsets to C++ and Python developers. Google is targeting C++ programmers with tools called Perftools and Sparsehashtable and provides Python developers with Goopy/functional.

Another tool called coredumper dumps cores from programs when it may have not previously been possible. The toolsets are hosted projects at SourceForge.net.

More languages will be supported as development picks up.