LinkedIn has announced that it's opening its developer platform, including its faster JavaScript APIs and customizable plugins, to all developers.
LinkedIn first released its original developer platform in 2009, complete with a set of APIs for letting third-party applications integrate aspects of LinkedIn in their apps. Still, its platform lacked certain features like OAuth 2.0 and advanced Javascript API support, something the company has been testing for the past few months.
The new LinkedIn Developer Platform and website make these APIs available to anyone who wants to use them. LinkedIn also opens its new platform for plug-ins, including the "Sign in with LinkedIn" button and the LinkedIn Share buttons you see on Mashable's business and marketing stories. There are also plug-ins for member profiles, company profiles and a Recommend button that lets users recommend your products through their LinkedIn network.
The developer platform has also been overhauled with improvements under the hood. It includes a new Javascript framework that "loads significantly faster," as well as support for SSL and improved support for OAuth. The website has also been simplified to make it easier to get started with LinkedIn's APIs and plugins.