Product DescriptionVal's Blog 'A tremendously useful field guide specifically written for developers down in the trenches...waiting for the killer solution...'
Web users are getting tired of the traditional web experience. They get frustrated losing their scroll position; they get annoyed waiting for refresh; they struggle to reorient themselves on every new page. And the list goes on. With asynchronous JavaScript and XML, known as 'Ajax,' you can give them a better experience. Once users have experienced an Ajax interface, they hate to go back. Ajax is new way of thinking that can result in a flowing and intuitive interaction with the user.
Ajax in Action helps you implement that thinking--it explains how to distribute the application between the client and the server (hint: use a 'nested MVC' design) while retaining the integrity of the system. You will learn how to ensure your app is flexible and maintainable, and how good, structured design can help avoid problems like browser incompatibilities. Along the way it helps you unlearn many old coding habits. Above all, it opens your mind to the many advantages gained by placing much of the processing in the browser. If you are a web developer who has prior experience with web technologies, this book is for you.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Extremely Comprehensive for Beginner Through Intermediate
This book covers lots of ground coming in at 600 pages of real content. I almost gave this book 3 stars until I re-read it. It may seem verbose for the more experienced programmer, but I think would be a perfect read for the novice Javascript programmer. It really is packed full of great implementation ideas and good practices, such as the use of software patterns (MVC, singleton, adapter) and extensive code refactoring. There are tons of screen shots, images, diagrams, code examples and snippets, ... Read More
Rating: - Good intro to Ajax principles and architecture
Looking for the latest DHTML tricks and Javascript libraries? You came to the wrong place: this was published in 2005.
But I really liked this book. All you need is competence with HTML, CSS and Javascript, and Ajax in Action will help you understand what makes Ajax different from the traditional client-server architecture of web apps. It also introduces some design patterns and other basic considerations, e.g. cross browser issues. The second half of the book has several examples that ... Read More
Rating: - I agree, incorrectly named
I've bought the portuguese version of this book (AJAX em Ação), and I agree that it was incorrectly named.
I have a good experience with AJAX, and I was looking for an "AJAX bible", with hacks and something like this... but, like other people here, I am disappointed.
The book is excellent as a guide for project patterns that can be applied not just to AJAX, but to any web project. But the title, "AJAX in Action", suggest another type of content.
Rating: - Very useful for Web developers
i am very interested in AJAX learn and this book is essential for any person that work in the web, how web developer, web desginer and others. you can learn the structure and the metodology about AJAX and JavaScript too. It is great and interesting
Rating: - Well written, but unfortunately way out of date
It's amazing how much the JavaScript world has changed.
This book has a relaxing style, and it was enjoyable to read. However, it no longer represents what I think of as "modern" JavaScript. For instance, it doesn't cover closures until appendix B, and even then it tells the reader to avoid them. These days, having studied Dojo, jQuery, and Douglas Crockford's videos, it's clear that closures are at the heart of how modern JavaScript is written.
- I agree, incorrectly named
- Very useful for Web developers
