Opera Dragonfly on the prowl

Opera releases fierce bug predator in alpha version of developer tools

Oslo, Norway — May 6, 2008

Much to the dismay of bugs lurking within pages of the World Wide Web, Opera Software today unmercifully unleashed the anticipated Opera Dragonfly. True to Opera’s embodiment of One Web, the developer tools with Opera Dragonfly will debug Web pages, Widgets and Web applications on any device. Opera Dragonfly is firstly available in Opera 9.5 beta 2. Today’s alpha release will upgrade automatically and includes a JavaScript Debugger, DOM and CSS Inspectors, Error Console and Command Line. To test Opera Dragonfly, download Opera 9.5 beta 2 from http://www.opera.com/download, launch the browser and go to Tools/Advanced/Developer Tools.

“At Opera we’ve always believed there should only be One Web, accessible from any device. This One Web must be built on open Web standards, enabling the same degree of innovation to happen on mobile and devices as on desktop,” says Christen Krogh, Chief Development Officer, Opera Software. “With Opera Dragonfly we take an important step toward our vision by providing Web developers with the tools to unify both development and experiences across devices.”

Features in Opera Dragonfly alpha include:

Remote debug: Debug pages whether they are on your computer or a separate, supported device. Opera Dragonfly can remotely connect to computers and devices running a supported version of Opera.
Auto update: Opera Dragonfly is a new breed of hybrid application: part desktop application, part Web application. It resides in local persistent storage without any server-side processing, yet instantly updates when a new version is released — just like your favorite Web sites.
Open and free: Opera Dragonfly’s source code is released under the BSD license, making the code itself available for inspection and reuse.
DOM Inspector: View source isn’t much use if you use DOM Scripting to alter the DOM. Opera Dragonfly allows you to inspect the updated DOM and all its properties. Support for editing the DOM will follow.
CSS Inspector: Check out what CSS rules apply to which element, and what rules are inherited or set by browser defaults. Overridden rules are highlighted so you can see what styles are or aren’t applied. Support for editing CSS rules will follow.
JavaScript Debugger: Opera Dragonfly’s full-featured JavaScript debugger enhances user ability to build sophisticated Ajax applications. Step through your code line by line, setting break points along the way. This allows you to make sure your application and scripts are acting as you designed them.
Error Console and Command Line: An advanced error console allows you to see, filter and log any errors in your scripts, pointing to the exact position the error occurred. Use this in combination with the other tools to hunt down and fix your site’s bugs.

Be heard

Opera Dragonfly is still in the early stages of development. In order to make Opera Dragonfly fit the needs of Web designers and developers, we invite your feedback. Learn more and share your thoughts at: http://www.opera.com/dragonfly.

About Opera Software ASA

The worldwide World Wide Web — any device, any platform, any bandwidth, absolutely anywhere in the world. Opera Software was founded in 1994, based on the idea that access to the web should be a universal right. 250 million people (and counting) use the Opera web browsers for computers, mobile phones, TVs and other connected devices. Opera also delivers tools, distribution, engagement, monetization and market insights to developers, publishers and brands around the world. We are passionate about breaking down barriers, so everyone can share in the power of the internet. Our vision of one web for all remains at the heart of what we do, because we believe that participation changes everything. Opera Software ASA is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at www.opera.com.