If you want to create rich web based applications that function just like the traditional software then Ajax will provide you a group of web development methods which are browser based and make use of a fraction of the resources of software. Ajax abbreviates to Asynchronous JavaScript and XML which gained wide popularity since the time Google has implemented it as a core technology in Google Maps and Gmail. Web applications which are dependent on Ajax will send and receive data from a server that runs in the background devoid of having to interrupt the existing web pages. This feature of Ajax is motivating several websites to make a huge investment in the Ajax Approach so that they can use it in accordance with their benefit. Ajax Frameworks are categorized into four types:
Direct Ajax Frameworks
These kind of Ajax Frameworks require CSS, Ajax and HTML expertise. This framework will consist of web pages which are authored in HTML and this frameworks deal with various HTML elements. One can make use of the cross browser application programming interfaces of the direct Ajax frameworks for DOM manipulation , communications , changing the graphic loaded elements , event handling and lots more other purposes. XAP , DWR and Prototype are frameworks which can be categorized as Direct Ajax Frameworks.
Indirect Ajax Frameworks
These are the frameworks which are dependent on the compiler technology and thus coding will be done using a high level language so that the compiler will turn the code into JavaScript. This is the reason why there is a need for having expertise knowledge in high level languages such as HTML , CSS rather than having JavaScript or Ajax Expertise. Indirect Ajax Frameworks will benefit you on the programming concepts front and guide you through the technique of high level languages such as classes , modules which are not features of JavaScript. Once the code that is written in any of the high level programming languages is converted into JavaScript it will appear under the category of direct Ajax Frameworks so to sum up one can say that the implementation of Indirect Ajax Frameworks is similar to the direct Ajax Frameworks with an additional step to the overall process. The frameworks that can be categorized under Indirect Ajax include RubyJS, Google Web Toolkit, ATLAS , ComfortASP.NET.
Component Ajax Frameworks
These are the frameworks which have in built components that can be used generate and handle own HTML code. These components are created with the use of XML tags or JavaScript or by using HTML only with certain modifications. These kind of frameworks are just apt for all kinds of web applications as they are heavy. These frameworks speed up the development process but with limited controls. You can enjoy customized API’s , extensibility, programmatic control , skinning facilities with the Component Ajax Frameworks. Some of the examples of Component Ajax Frameworks include YUI, Dojo , Open Rico , TIBCO.
Server Drive Ajax Frameworks
These frameworks are the ones in which the components will be created with the use of a server side scripting language so that during web development the web pages will be rendered via a mix and match of client side and server side HTML. With the use of various Ajax Technique one can communicate all the user actions to the server and ensure that the server side script will work properly on the server side component model and any changes that will be made to the server side component model will be clearly visible at the client end. Server Drive Ajax Frameworks include jBossRich Faces, jMaki, Google Web Toolkit, Thin Wire and lots more
jMaki Ajax Framework
jMaki is one of the top notch Ajax Frameworks which render a lightweight model for developing Web Application that are JavaScript centric and Ajax Enabled with the use of various technologies such as Phobos, Java , PHP, Ruby. With jMaki Ajax Framework one can create JavaScript centric …
DOJO Ajax Framework
Dojo is one more grand Ajax Framework that is used for developing various Ajax based Applications and has been chosen by Struts 2 for rendering Ajax support in various web apps…
MooTools Ajax Framework
Mootools is an Object Oriented JavaScript and Ajax Framework that is Modular and Compact and appropriate for developing apps easily for the intermediate and sophisticated JavaScript Developers. You can write cross browser compatible , flexible and powerful code with this …
jQuery Ajax Framework
If you are planning to combine the power of Ajax with the JavaScript library then you will not find any other framework as the jQuery which is feature rich , fast and small as the jQuery. JQuery framework eases the task of document traversal & manipulation , Animation, Event Handling …
jBossRichFaces Ajax Framework
If you want to enhance your web application with the use of powerful Ajax Components then jBoss Rich Faces is just the ideal Ajax Framework for you. This Ajax Framework is an enhanced UI component framework that will allow you to integrate the Ajax capabilities easily into all your …
Google Web Toolkit Ajax Framework
GWT is an Ajax Framework that will make easy for developers who do not speak web browser quirks as a second language to develop Ajax Applications similar to Gmail or Google Maps …
ZK Ajax Framework
Java Developers can actually develop Rich Web Applications just with the basics of some programming if they use the ZK Ajax Framework. The event driven model and server centric architecture of the ZK Ajax Framework makes it easy to develop web applications as instinctive as …
To conclude with we can say that the various Ajax Frameworks have added that extra tang in developing engaging user interfaces. The best thing about Ajax is that one can get instant response to any user reaction via asynchronous request from the web server which is why most of the website owners use Ajax Frameworks for presenting significant content in a presentable manner. People who are offensive towards the usage of Ajax list out various issues such as Cross Browser Compatibility, Caching and SEO for avoiding these frameworks but reality is that when scripting is done and professional deployment is made these issues can actually be addressed in an effective manner.