Google Web Toolkit 1.2 is now officially released, the Google's solution to make AJAX development easier. The big feature in GWT 1.2 is certainly the support of MacOSX. With GWT, you can develop and debug AJAX applications in the Java language using the Java development tools of your choice. When you deploy your application to production, the GWT compiler to translates your Java application to browser-compliant JavaScript and HTML.

GWT 1.2 hosted mode debugging environment is much more faster thanks to caching between runs. Startup is 20-30% faster, and refreshes are much, much faster. Since refreshes are very fast now, the most efficient way to develop is to leave a hosted browser open, make source changes, then click "Refresh".

There is also some more bug fixes in this 1.2 release in addition to those in the previous RC release. The GWT Blog pointed also to the growing number of third-party development tools :

• JetBrains added fantastic GWT support in IDEA 6.0. Check out their video demo to see just how easy they make GWT development.
• Instantiations just launched GWT Designer for Eclipse, a very impressive visual GUI creator demonstrated recently in their webinar.
• Wirelexsoft VistaFei for GWT is a comprehensive WYSIWYG IDE for GWT, soon to be offered in a free Community Edition as well as an enhanced Enterprise Edition.

More information and download from GWT website via Google Blog