Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit

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The Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit enables developers to integrate and enrich their Web-based applications with Windows Live™ Messenger. With the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit, you will get instant access to:

Real-time presence and communications
Contact relationships
Rich profile data

You can integrate with the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit in the following two ways:

Windows Live Messenger UI Controls: The Windows Live Messenger UI Controls are a set of 16 HTML-based controls that encapsulate the most common scenarios for Web developers. You can use an easy XHTML markup scheme and CSS to customize the appearance and behavior of the controls on your Web site without having to write JavaScript code. The use of these UI Controls is recommended for most developers.
Windows Live Messenger Library: The Messenger Library is a powerful client-side JavaScript library that exposes an object model for integrating with Windows Live Messenger. The use of the library is recommended for advanced developers who want to enable custom scenarios that the UI Controls do not support.

Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Usage Scenarios

You can easily enable the following usage scenarios by using the Windows Live Messenger Toolkit:

Extend your site's functionality with real-time presence and instant messaging. Users of your site can send messages to one another.
Enable users to update their Windows Live Messenger personal message to link to content on your site. This will be seen by the users' contacts and connections across Windows Live, both on the Web and in the Windows Live Messenger client.
Use Windows Live Messenger profile data on your site. All Windows Live Messenger users have a friendly display name and profile picture that can be used to personalize and customize user profile data on your site.
Allow users to sign in to your blog site and leave comments by using their Windows Live ID and Windows Live Messenger profile.
Allow users to invite their contacts in Windows Live Messenger to chat and play a casual game together in real time.

Documentation Map

Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Overview: Provides an overview of the architecture and technologies offered to Web developers.

What's New in the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit: Summarizes new features and changes introduced in the current version.

Getting Started with the Windows Live Messenger Toolkit: Describes the requirements for using the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit.

Windows Live Messenger UI Controls: Documents how to integrate with the UI Controls on your Web site, including the all-in-one Messenger Web Bar control.

Windows Live Messenger Library: Documents how to integrate with the client-side JavaScript library to enable rich Messenger scenarios for your Web site.

Developing with the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit: Consists of basic elements of developing applications with the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit.

Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Samples: Introduces the code samples in the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit and provides a download link.

Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Application Guidelines: Describes required and best practices for building an effective application with the Windows Live Messenger Library.

Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Reference: Introduces two parts to the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit Reference that documents the namespaces and classes for the Windows Live Messenger UI Controls and the Windows Live Messenger Library.

Other Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit APIs: Contains technical information about using the Windows Live Messenger IM Control and Windows Live Presence API.

Appendix A: Supported Languages: Shows supported languages for the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit.

The use of the Windows Live Messenger Web Toolkit is governed by the Terms of Use.