Professional Ajax - Nicholas C. Zakas

Combining tried–and–true CSS, XML, and JavaScript technologies, Ajax provides web developers with the ability to create more sophisticated and responsive user interfaces and break free from the "click–and–wait" standard that has dominated the web since its introduction.

This book discusses the range of request brokers (including the hidden frame technique, iframes, and XMLHttp) and explains when one should be used over another. You will also learn different Ajax techniques and patterns for executing client–server communication on your web site and in web applications. Each chapter builds on information in the previous chapters so that by the end of the book, you will have gained the practical knowledge necessary to implement your own Ajax solutions.

What you will learn from this book

• Different methods for achieving Ajax communication and when to use each


• A variety of Ajax design patterns to use in specific data retrieval circumstances


• Techniques for using Ajax with RSS and Atom to produce a web–based news aggregator


• How to use JavaScript Object Notation as an alternate data transmission format for Ajax communications


• How to create Ajax widgets, such as a weather display and news ticker, that can be included in your web site

Who this book is for

This book is for web developers who want to enhance the usability of their sites and applications. Familiarity with JavaScript, HTML, and CSS is necessary, as is experience with a server–side language such as PHP or a .NET language.

Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real–world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.