View Source: AJAX - Waikato Linux Users Group

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An [Acronym] for __A__synchronous JavaScript __A__nd [XML].

Refers to the idea of using JavaScript to cause actions on the the WebServer or inject new data from the server into a [HTML] page without forcing reloads in the WebBrowser, in order to achieve more responsive web applications that lessen the gap to desktop applications. Usually also implies the use of [XMLHttpRequest] objects, first introduced in [IE], although the same technique has been possible long before that using hidden frames (cf. [Google] Maps). The "[XML]" part is also a bit of a misnomer, as it is getting ever more popular to push data around in [JSON] format instead.

Many people scoff that the "[AJAX]" term has no particular technical definition and really is just a rebranding of "[DHTML]". Others argue that the merit of the "[AJAX]" term is not technical, but social, in that it captures and conveys the new awareness of [DHTML] as a tool for purposes not previously conceived of.

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Last edited on Tuesday, September 13, 2005 11:52:46 pm by AristotlePagaltzis

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