AJAX, or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is the newest means for creating dynamic and interactive web applications, and is currently the most effective way to interact with the end user without causing confusion and/or frustration while using RIA (Rich Internet Application). Even if you are unfamiliar with the terms AJAX or RIA, you most likely use both of these on a regularly basis. Such examples include Google Maps or Google Suggest. Both applications demonstrate the technologies to their fullest.

However AJAX isn’t a single technology, rather it is composed of several cohesive components working for a single goal. This incorporates:

• XHTML and CSS
• Dynamic Display and interaction using the DOM (Document Object Model)
• Asynchronous data retrieval using XMLHttpRequest (Script Function)
• Data interchange using XML and XSLT
• JavaScript to bind everything together

This makes AJAX programming different from traditional web applications. Instead of loading a webpage at the start of a session, the browser first loads AJAX which prompts one engine to load (the AJAX JavaScript-based file) instead of several that include files or functions. This means the end user doesn’t receive the data until they request it. See example flow below.

Source: Ajax: A New Approach to Web Applications

Stay tuned for more news about our upcoming products using AJAX and other cutting-edge technologies used here at Zunch.

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