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What Is Ajax Javascript?

The Web 2.0 movement is a march towars increasingly interactive and collaborative Internet technology, and Ajax is one of many disciplines at its forefront. Ajax combines several programming and development technologies to create dynamic and interactive Web content. The proliferation of Ajax is contributing to major changes in the way websites are designed and operate, and can be found in a wide range of well-known websites.

  1. Ajax

    • Ajax is an acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It refers to the combination of several design and program languages working in concert to provide dynamic content for Web users. In simple terms, it allows a website to perform additional functions or provide extra features that would ordinarily require a refresh, plug-in or other additional input from a singular web page. Google's "Suggest" feature is an excellent example. With an ordinary search engine, you would have to type in a search term and click search before being presented any possible related terms or links. Google Suggest applies Ajax to the situation, and instead a list of possible terms appears in drop-down menu beneath the text field as you type. This list dynamically shortens with each additional keystroke, until it finally narrows down on the few entries in Google's database that apply to what you've typed. All without refreshing the page or sending queries.

    Common Uses

    • Of course, Google isn't the only website putting Ajax to work. Many websites with search features, including Facebook and YouTube, also make use of Ajax. YouTube also uses it to create pages where comments can be viewed, scrolled through and added without reloading the page. Facebook takes things a step further, with multiple forms of content all available at one time, refreshing only the necessary content as required to view content, leave comments, inform users of notices and even maintain an instant messaging chat session.

    Advantages

    • Ajax is a tool of great convenience for users. By implementing Ajax over other options, loading times and the number of page refreshes required to view content on a website can be drastically reduced. This also has the added benefit of changing the way bandwidth is consumed, as only content that needs to be refreshed is queried as opposed to an entire page. It also adds additional functionality to a website, turning a tool that can bring you a list of available travel destinations into a tool that can narrow down the exact city and airport you wish to travel to in a single operation. This also reduces the need for additional program installations and plug-ins to add functionality, reducing the need to spend time and system resources tracking down, installing and operating these programs.

    Disadvantages

    • Ajax has some drawbacks. Because of the complexity of its interwoven nature, development of Ajax-enabled websites takes longer than simpler or more inelegant programming solutions. Even to use Ajax, additional time needs to be invested in learning its intricacies and operational procedures to gain a working understanding of Ajax development. Also, because Ajax operations are entirely contained within a single Web page, no history is left behind to refer to later if looking up the same subject. There's no page to bookmark to come back to the same list of results, and the process of searching must be performed again. Ajax is also not supported in all browsers, especially mobile devices that include smartphones or tablet computers. Also, with multiple users accessing resources at the same time, the host server is continually worked harder and harder. Over time, this overworking can lead to user-end lag, even if there are fewer page refreshes.

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