A Drupal Enhancement Proposal for core Javascript improvements

There's broad interest here I think in improving the core Drupal Javascript. Shall we channel this into a Drupal Enhancement Proposal (DEP), http://drupal.org/node/39407? Here's some rough beginnings, please jump in.

Title: Javascript Library Improvements
Status: Early draft for discussion
Reference: See http://groups.drupal.org/ajax-developers

Introduction

This DEP aims to improve Drupal's built-in Javascript library, making it extensible and introducing a Drupal Javascript namespace to prevent namespace collisions.

Motivation

Drupal 4.7 introduced a slim and well designed set of Javascript utility functions (drupal.js) and behaviors (autocomplete, collapse, etc.). As Drupal contributors continue to develop Javascript and AJAX behaviors, there is an emerging consensus around ways we could make Drupal's Javascript library more readily extensible while solving issues such as namespace collisions. There is also interest in the possibility of adopting or piggybacking on one of the several leading Javascript/AJAX utility libraries (jQuery, Prototype, etc.).

The purpose of this DEP is to work through these broad issues and come up with a community consensus on the best ways to strengthen our core Javascript implementation

Approach

Possibilities for discussion:

• Introduce Drupal Javascript namespace:
  

  var Drupal = {
    utlities: {
      addClass: function(node, class) {
      },
       ...
    }
    ...
    behaviors: {},
    ...
  }
  

  and then register behaviors (in their own .js files):

  if (Drupal) {
    Drupal.behaviors['autocomplete'] = {
      attach: function() {
        ...
      }
      remove: function() {
        ...
      }
      run: function() {
        ...
      }
    }
  }
  

• Evaluate merits and feasibility of adopting an external utility library (jQuery, Prototype, etc.). Issues to be examined: license compatibility, etc.