Ajax| Microsoft if you've ever been involved in web development, it's not surprising for you to use the remote scripting capabilities and the latest trends in developing applications via AJAX (asynchronous JavaScript + XML). After all, this technology has been going on for years, but it's not compatible with browsers. Microsoft has been claiming that ActiveX is the solution, but as Ajax technology continues to heat up, this situation has changed. Now let's delve into the Ajax revolution and Microsoft's engagement and solutions.
What is Ajax?
Defining Ajax is not as easy as pointing to a Web page, because it is a combination of several technologies. It includes the following techniques:
* Standard representation of XHTML and CSS;
* Implement dynamic display and user interaction using the Documentation Object model DOM (document object models);
* Data exchange and operations using XML, XSLT, and XMLHttpRequest;
* Use JavaScript to bind all technologies together.
The biggest difference between Ajax and traditional network development is the use of remote scripting call technology. Remote invocation technology allows the user's JavaScript language to send data requests to the server without refreshing the Web page. This task is accomplished through the JavaScript language and the XMLHttpRequest object. Remote scripting calls transfer part of a process to a client (browser), which greatly reduces the number of calls to a network server.
Microsoft first applied the XMLHttpRequest object as an ActiveX object in the Windows IE5. The first development with this ActiveX component is also the Outlook Web Access. The Mozilla program's engineers have launched a compatible local version of Mozilla 1.0 (and Netscape 7), and Apple has added this support to their safari 1.2. Similar features are included in a proposed standard for the consortium. At the same time, XMLHttpRequest objects have actually become technical standards.
Intermediaries
The traditional network application software first triggers the call of a user's behavior or request to the HTTP server. In turn, the server performs certain tasks and then returns an HTML page to the requesting user. This is an incoherent user experience, when the server is processing the request, the user most of the time in the waiting state.
Ajax is different. It eliminates the processing-waiting-processing-waiting disadvantages of network interaction by introducing an intermediary between the user and the server. The user's browser loads the Ajax engine when performing a task. Ajax engines are written in JavaScript language and are usually hidden in a hidden frame. It is responsible for compiling the user interface and interacting with the server. The AJAX engine allows the user to interact with the application in an asynchronous process, independent of the communication between the user and the network server.
Ajax continues to warm up
Ajax is being watched by big companies such as Google and Amazon. Google has widely applied Ajax to web apps such as Gmail, Google suggest and Google Maps. (Indeed, Google has invested heavily in Ajax in all of the most recent major products that have been developed or improved.) Amazon has also launched a A9 search engine that uses AJAX technology. Every day there are many similar examples emerging.
Microsoft's Ajax
Of course, Microsoft is also starting to develop more sophisticated Ajax. It is about to launch an AJAX tool code-named Atlas. The functionality of Atlas transcends AJAX itself, including the ability to consolidate the debugging capabilities of Visual Studio. In addition, the new ASP.net control makes it easier to bundle the client control with the server-side code. The Atlas Client Scripting Framework (Atlas Clent Script framework) also facilitates interaction with Web pages and related projects. However, this feature is not included in Visual Studio 2005.
Microsoft recently announced that the Atlas client scripting framework will contain the following (For more information, visit the Atlas planning website):
* An extensible core framework that adds JavaScript features such as life-time management, inheritance management, multicast processors, and interface management.
* A common function of the basic class library, has a wealth of string processing, timers and running tasks.
* A user interface framework that appends dynamic behavior to HTML.
* A set of network stacks to simplify server connectivity and network access.
* A rich set of user interface development controls, such as: Automatically completed text boxes, animations, and drag-and-drop.
* Browser compatibility level to handle differences in browser script behavior.
The above content is only a preliminary framework. These things are likely to change before the exact product is released. If you can't wait for Microsoft's products, you can try a free Microsoft first. NET Framework Ajax.NET Library.
Disadvantages of Ajax
Ajax requires that the user's browser support the JavaScript language. Although this is not a major issue, it needs to be considered. Similarly, these applications must undergo rigorous testing to adapt to different browsers and platforms. However, this scenario is only for browser-based applications and does not include a LAN that the target browser can control.
The user's complaints about Ajax are mainly focused on the failure of the browser's fallback function, because under AJAX, the dynamic update of the page is not viewed by the browser as entering another page. However, a common method of using IFRAME can solve the problem.
Another criticism that Ajax faces makes me feel interesting, some people think that Ajax is just a new term introduced to promote old technology. This may be right, but at least the technology it contains is mature and tested.
New wine in old bottles
Ajax technology is not novel in the Web development world, but overall, its wide support for all major browsers makes it easier to accept and apply to the Web development community. The technology applied by Ajax is mature and stable. It allows you to develop rich application software to reduce server response time, so the user's latency is reduced accordingly.
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