Research In Motion has unveiled its next-generation web-based application platform for developing BlackBerry apps.

RIM called the platform BlackBerry WebWorks which uses HTML 5, CSS and JavaScript. It boasts of advance features similar to that of BlackBerry Java.

On top of the existing BlackBerry web development tools, BlackBerry WebWorks has new tools and platform services that allows developers to create rich apps that are deeply integrated with core BlackBerry features, true multi-tasking, true Push technology and access to the Locate service and BlackBerry Advertising Service.

Updates to the web application packager, new web APIs and the BlackBerry Web Plug-Ins 2.5 are also included in the new platform.

"The new BlackBerry WebWorks platform takes the power of existing web tools and enhances and adds to them in order to allow developers to build sophisticated applications using their existing HTML5 skill sets with no compromise in functionality or performance," Mobiletechnews.com quoted David Yach, CTO for Software at RIM, as saying.

RIM is sharing the source code for the BlackBerry WebWorks to allow open source developers to contribute in enhancing the web platform.

RIM is also working with leading open source JavaScript framework companies DoJo, GitHub, JQuery, Nitobi and Sencha to encourage developers to create web applications with advanced web and AJAX functionality.

AJAX or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML is a group of interrelated web development techniques used on the client-side to created interactive web apps.