Ajax - a New Approach to Web Applications

Source: ajax.de

J.J. Garret describes in his article at adaptivepath.com a interesting approach to develop web applications that allow users to interact without waiting for the server. ?An Ajax (Asynchronous JavaScript + XML) application eliminates the start-stop-start-stop nature of interaction on the Web by introducing an intermediary ? an Ajax engine ? between the user and the server. It seems like adding a layer to the application would make it less responsive, but the opposite is true.? His Ajax examples (e.g.):

• google suggest


• google maps

A. Otwell clarifies on his blog, that ?There is no ?Ajax engine? commonly in use that one could download or copy (although JSPAN?s nearly there in the PHP world). Google?s own best examples of this kind of design, Google Suggest and Google Maps, have essentially nothing in common in terms of client-side code. This is clear at the start of Jesse?s article, where he lists the technologies (usually) behind ?Ajax? applications, but his diagrams imply the ?Ajax engine? is a concrete thing. (Jesse?s diagram also suggests that CSS would be generated via the Ajax engine; I?m not aware of any examples of CSS-on-the-fly like this.)? Otwell calls ?ajax? as a client-side Javascript-based techniques like XMLHTTPRequest.

Regardless of the existence of an ?ajax engine? I think that the approach is quite good. Maybe adaptive path is trying to bring a ?ajax engine? to market.

** UPDATE
Jason Fried wrote on 37signals:

?Jesse clearly explains how the bundle of Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (coined ?Ajax?) can reduce reloads and improve the user experience. I?m not here to disagree (in fact, we use a heavy dose of this today in Ta-da List and will be introducing a lot more into Basecamp, Writeboard, and the other product we?re currently developing). I?m also excited that there?s finally a name (?Ajax?) for all this tech ? trying to pronounce XMLHttpRequest around the office has been a challenge. We?ve gone from XMLhr to XRH to That XML Stuff, to No Reload, etc. Ajax is easy and that?s good for everyone.
(?)
As with anything, it?s not the technology that matters, it?s the proper application and the execution of that technology that counts. And most of all it?s how well we hide the technology. I?m very excited to see what comes out of this new movement. I?m looking forward to some stellar new web apps using Ajax and derivative tech combos.?

related links:
Garrets article @ adaptive path
Otwells comment @ heyblog
Jason Frieds comment @ 37signals.com