Professional Ajax, 2nd. Ed., Wrox
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Contents |
C# Online.NET Book Review
Web 2.0 is the buzziest word on the Web at the moment. And, Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a huge part of Web 2.0. Every Web developer needs to become proficient with Ajax and a good Ajax library.
This book opens with a great introduction to how Ajax got started, what Ajax really is, and how Ajax works. Next, Ajax patterns are discussed. All Ajax jargon —e.g. throttling—is explained clearly and concisely as it is encountered. Now, the focus shifts to the data transfer formats—XML, XPath, XSLT—used in Ajax programming. Later, come Web services, JSON, widgets, and various Ajax frameworks. Coverage includes RSS and Atom as they relate to Javascript and Ajax. My favorite chapters were the ones on patterns and widgets.
Thankfully, time is spent discusssing techniques for cross-broswer compatibility plus workarounds for various browser differences. And, readers are referred to libraries which can abstract away browser differences.
The book is written in a clear, engaging style. The examples are well chosen for relevance; and, the authors explain them thoroughly. In source code examples, key lines of code are highlighted for fast scanning.
The focus throughout is Ajax; so, coverage of ancilliary topics is kept to a minimum. This means that the book is not suitable for beginners unless they are sufficiently motivated to fill in the gaps in their knowledge for themselves. The ideal reader would be a professional developer with broad exposure to various Web related techologies including a basic understanding of CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and XML.
The source code examples are available online. Much of the book assumes a knowledge of PHP. .NET and C# are used for creating a Web service. But, PHP is the primary language for server side examples. The code download contains—where applicable—ASP.NET, JSP, and PHP versions of the examples in the book. Also, the code download includes the libraries and frameworks discussed and used in the book—Ajax.NET Professional, DWR, JPSpan, jQuery, JSON-PHP, Prototype, and YUI library.
Perhaps a future edition will treat XML, XPath, and XSLT seperately for the sake of clarity.
Bottom line
Professional Ajax is a well written, well planned introduction to Ajax for non-beginners which will have the reader coding quickly.
Publisher's description
- Building on the strength of the popular first edition, this book helps experienced Web developers who are already familiar with Ajax foundations-JavaScript, CSS, and XML-to create more sophisticated and responsive Ajax user interfaces
- New topics include ready-to-use Ajax libraries, Ajax mapping, debugging, Microsoft Atlas, dynamic script loading, working with RSS and Web search feeds, and much more
- Discusses range of request brokers (including the hidden frame technique, iframes, and XMLHTTP) and explains when one should be used over another
- Reviews the different Ajax techniques and patterns for executing client-server communication on a Web site and in Web applications
From the back cover
With Professional Ajax, 2nd Edition, as your guide, you'll discover how to break free of the "click and wait" standard and defy all the traditional rules of what can happen on the web. This book arms you with a developer-level understanding of Ajax techniques, patterns, and use cases so that you can create an unprecedented user experience in your web applications.
Thoroughly updated throughout, this expanded 2nd edition adds almost 200 pages of new coverage on recently developed Ajax techniques, clearly showing you how to execute client-server communication on your site. It takes you through request brokers such as hidden frames, dynamic iframes, and XHR, explaining when to use each method. You'll also find out how to effectively implement a request management framework as well as how to utilize the latest debugging techniques. All of this will help you create your own full-fledged Ajax web applications to make your site more dynamic.
What you will learn from this book
- All about working with Ajax design patterns and libraries
- Best practices for dynamic script loading and incorporating Ajax-enabled images into your site
- Steps for using Ajax with RSS and Atom to produce a web-based news aggregator
- Tips for taking advantage of Ajax maps APIs from Google® and Yahoo!®
- Techniques for automating part of the Ajax development process
- How to use ASP.NET AJAX Extensions to simplify the creation of Ajax applications
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.
About the author(s)
Nicholas C. Zakas is a professional web software engineer who specializes in user interface design for Web applications using JavaScript, Dynamic HTML, CSS, XML, and XSLT.
Table of Contents (abbreviated)
- 1.What Is Ajax?
- 2. Ajax Basics.
- 3. Ajax Patterns.
- 4. Ajax Libraries.
- 5. Request Management.
- 6. XML, XPath, and XSLT.
- 7. Syndication with RSS and Atom.
- 8. JSON.
- 9. Comet.
- 10. Maps and Mashups.
- 11. Ajax Debugging Tools.
- 12. Web Site Widgets.
- 13. Ajax Frameworks.
- 14. ASP.NET AJAX Extensions (Atlas).
- 15. Case Study: FooReader.NET.
- 16. Case Study: AjaxMail.
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