Google this week began offering an alpha version of Google APIs Client Library for JavaScript, which provides access to HTTP-based APIs on the Web, as well as to many of Google’s public APIs ...

Zepto is described as “a minimalist JavaScript library with a largely jQuery-compatible API.” Developers who know jQuery already know how to use Zepto, its makers go on to say.

With the Google API, there would be no network hit at all. The browser could have the IP addresses for the libraries and other often-called developer resources available to avoid DNS hits.

Perhaps the biggest influence was the introduction of jQuery, which many agree is the most pervasive JavaScript library. jQuery has helped make cross-browser development much simpler with a small, ...