Wolfram Alpha rolls out widget platform

Wolfram Alpha is already offering financial calculation and science reference widgets

Wolfram Alpha has launched a widget platform allowing users and developers to create custom tools based on the computational knowledge engine.

Much like services from other engines, the Wolfram Alpha widget platform will allow the tools to be embedded into web pages and shared on social networking sites.

Among the early widgets are financial calculation and science reference tools, and the company said that the platform will eventually support the full range of information in the service's database.

Wolfram Alpha has also released a Widget Builder development tool to allow users to create new widgets based on search queries.

"Widgets are the next step in our goal of making Wolfram Alpha ubiquitous and available to everyone everywhere," said Wolfram Alpha managing director Barak Berkowitz.

"By putting the massive data repository and computational capability of Wolfram Alpha in everyone's hands, we fully expect to be surprised and impressed by the innovative ways people put this power to use in their areas of interest and expertise."

Wolfram Alpha has previously extended its service through partnerships with other search engines and its own API.