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What is Ajax?

I've been hearing a bit of a buzz lately about a new Web technology called Ajax, but I have no idea what it is or even how to find out more about it. Help?


Dave's Answer:

Well, the answer to 'how do I learn more about it' is always to check out Google, of course, where you would find lots of interesting and even occasionally accurate answers to your question of "What is Ajax?". :-)

More seriously, Ajax is a set of technologies being used together, just as "LAMP" is a shorthand referring to Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP. But back to Ajax!

Ajax, which stands for Asynchronous Javascript And XML, is comprised of the following technologies:

  • HTML + CSS for presenting information
  • JavaScript for dynamically interacting with the information presented
  • XML, XSLT and the puzzlingly-named XMLHttpRequest object to manipulate data asynchronously with the Web server.

Got it?

Ah, I didn't think so. That sure doesn't make much sense to me, since HTML + CSS + JavaScript, at least, have been around since forever -- they're even the basis of my popular book Creating Cool Web Sites with HTML, XHTML and CSS.

The difference therefore is with the XML, eXtensible Markup Language, side of things, so let's focus on that. But first, if you've checked out and marveled at the drag-and-pan capabilities of Google Maps or the speedy self-contained table sorting capabilities of Gmail, you've seen Ajax in action.

So. So XML is the eXtensible Markup Language, an environment for consistently tagging and identifying information buried within Web pages, XSLT is basically a version of XML that's intended for transforming XML documents in-place (e.g., through database-type queries), and XMLHttpRequestor is the gracefully named set of application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow Web applications to transfer data with a Web server using the standard HTTP protocol. In a nutshell, this alphabet soup works together to allow JavaScript scripts to send data requests to the server and receive responses, all without having to load or reload a page. It's as if there's a hidden web browser / server interaction going on behind the scenes on a Web page you're viewing.

Want to learn more? Check out Ajax Matters, which is one of the primary reference sites for this rethinking of how users interact with Web sites.

My two cents on Ajax? The name may be rather goofy, but the result of applying the methodology is a quantum leap in Web interactivity. If you're a serious Web developer, Ajax is well worth studying and learning.



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Comments

Call an apple an apple...
http://ln.hixie.ch/?start=1111339822&count=1

"It's psychotic! People keep creating new ways to refer to existing technologies. "

Posted by: anonymous coward at June 26, 2005 4:06 PM

Great explanation on ajax. If you want to see ajax in action, you can go to www.printplace.com and click on the links on your left. There you will see a quote panel that updates on the background. The quote panel was built using asp.net and ajaxpro. Also there are great articles on adobe labs and asp.net.

Posted by: Raymond at January 10, 2007 9:09 PM

Perhaps I should have sent this in an e-mail, but, maybe someone else is having the same trouble and could use the info, too. I have built a Flash MP3 player for a client that runs from an XML file. Now that my client's work is expanding, he would like to have a "Top Ten Most Played" list automatically appear in a CSS div on his site's main page. Is there a way to make this happen using the Flash player and XML file I have? If yes, how? And if no, what would I have to do to make that happen?

Posted by: C. Mason at February 26, 2007 3:13 PM

hello DAVE,
I tried to build up a myspace or hi5 like site.. i want a free or low cost hi5 or myspace like clone site script... do you know any clone site ( i would like to buy that clone script $20-$25) or i prefer to phpfox site ... do you know any one of that please send me a URL...

thanks
chathura

Posted by: Chathura at April 24, 2007 12:09 AM

Hi,

I have one doubt in ajax.That is i send arequest from IE browser to Tomcat server using HTTP protocol.That tomcat call another Server.I got reponse from second server to Tomcat after 2 hours.But TOmcat to browser connection is disconnected.

So Please give me some help.

Thanks
K.Balaji

Posted by: Balaji at August 31, 2007 4:50 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!









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