Ajax
Ajax stands for asynchronously, JavaScript and xml. Websites that use AJAX technology look modern , load fast (Since the Javascript is executed on the client side) , and often better correspond to the needs of a web browser.
By using JavaScript technology, data can be exchanged with the server in order to create fast and dynamic web pages. Instead of reloading a whole page, data can be dynamically exchanged with the server. The advantages of using Ajax,is the abilitty to have a real time data validation, to load a page on demand and to submit data without refreshing the whole page. This makes ajax more appealing because it makes less use of bandwidth. What is bandwidth? Bandwidth refers to the amount of data carried from the user to server/website (vice-versa). The fact that ajax does not require the page to be reloaded when a request is made, this decreases the use of bandwidth. This makes ajax time efficient. Nowadays, web navigators are looking for well developed and fast-reliable websites. Also, ajax is based on open standards, which means that it is compatible and supported by most modern browsers and platforms. (AJAX heavily uses CSS and other new technolgies. Web Browsers such as Inernet Explorer 6 and below are notorious for their inability to correctly parse CSS + HTML elements and doesn't always work well with AJAX code. There are programming solutions to detect the type of web browser and to nor run a certain piece of AJAX code if necessary.)
Two great frameworks that complement ajax are mootools and jquery. jQuery and Mootools are libraries that covers the interaction between javascript and html. Both of these frameworks are cross-browser and come with animations, event handlers and interactivity that will add a special touch to your website. Every website needs that special smooth design that will appeal its navigators. To see them in action you can go to jQuery's website, it provides demos of all types of plugins such as menus, widgets, media and other utilities. As for mootools it also has a website with demos of accordions, sliders, basic effect and other utilities.
Don't have time to navigate Mootools and jQuery's website, see the following examples, of the possible plugins that could be used in your website.
| Menu | Accordion |
 |
 |
| Slider | Carousel |
 |
 |
Nowadays, Navigators are looking for great graphics, it is much more appealing than just having plain text. jQuery and mootools provide this. Don't forget that a picture is worth a thousand words.
To see ajax(jquery) in action there is the iphone website that contains great graphics and animation.
Ajax with the combination of these frameworks increases the functionality of your website , foremost, it simplifies the web development.
Hint: Would you like to see some Ajax at work? Try the search feature of this site or go back to the home page and check out the slideshow. These are live examples of jquery working together with other ajax libraries. Also, did you know that content managed systems such as drupal , joomla, modx ,and magento all use ajax?