Ajax Basics Tutorial (1)-ajax Introduction 1.6 Use Occasions

Now that you've become interested in Ajax, it's important to know when to use AJAX technology and when not. First, don't be afraid to try new methods in your application. We believe that almost every Web application can benefit from Ajax technology, but don't overdo it. It's appropriate to start with validation, but don't limit your initiative. You can, of course, use Ajax to submit data, but perhaps not as the primary way to submit data.

Second, the only thing that will affect your AJAX application is the browser problem. Ajax technology does not work if a large number of users (or especially important users) are using older browsers, such as IE 5, Safari 1.2, or Mozilla 1.0 versions. If this is a very important user, you might want to use a cross-browser approach to target users and discard Ajax or develop a site that can be degraded properly. Browser support may not be an important factor because Netscape Navigator 4 has a small share of the market. However, you should still look at the Web log to see what technology your application applies to.

As mentioned earlier, validation and form filling are ideal for AJAX implementations. You can also use the DOM's "drag" technology to build truly dynamic Web sites, such as Google's personalized home page (see Figure 1-9).

Figure 1-9 Google's personalized homepage

As you can see, Ajax offers new opportunities for Web application development. You will no longer be hindered by past proprietary technical or technical compromises. Using AJAX, the boundaries between fat and thin customers are no longer clear, and the real winners are your users.

Back to "Ajax Basics Tutorial-Directory"