Ajax (asynchronous JavaScript and XML), or AJAX, is a group of interrelated web development techniques used for creating interactive web applications. With Ajax, web applications can retrieve data from the server asynchronously in the background without interfering with the display and behavior of the existing page. Data is retrieved using the XMLHttpRequest object or through the use of Remote Scripting in browsers that do not support it.

This product is the complete training program for writing Ajax code! It teaches you novice to advanced techniques. The course has been designed to build essential skills quickly and effectively using examples and exercises. The lessons have been divided into small, manageable and practical chunks. The software features a strong Search system and allows you to Bookmark your favourite topics for future reference.

What you get (Course Outline)

Preface

Chapter 1. Types of Web Pages

1. Static Web Pages
2. Dynamic Web Pages
3. Web Browsers
4. A Brief Introduction to Cross-Browser
5. Development
6. The Server Side of Things
7. We Learn by Doing
8. Summary

Chapter 2 - Introducing Ajax

1. Not a Mockup
2. A Technique Without a Name
3. What Is Ajax?
4. An Ajax Encounter of the First Kind
5. An Ajax Encounter of the Second Kind
6. An Ajax Encounter of the Third Kind
7. The Shape of Things to Come
8. Summary

Chapter 3 - HTML/XHTML

1. The Difference Between HTML and XHTML
2. Elements and Attributes
3. Summary

Chapter 4 - JavaScript

1. Data Types
2. Variables
3. Operators
4. Flow-Control Statements
5. Functions
6. Recursion
7. Constructors
8. Event Handling
9. Summary

Chapter 5 - Ajax Using HTML and JavaScript

1. Hidden Frames and iframes
2. Cross-Browser DOM
3. Tabular Information
4. Forms
5. Advantages and Disadvantages
6. Summary

Chapter 6 - XML

1. Elements
2. Attributes
3. Handling Verboten Characters
4. Comments
5. Expectations
6. XML Declaration
7. Processing Instructions
8. XML Data Islands
9. Summary

Chapter 7 - XMLHttpRequest

1. Synchronous
2. Asynchronous
3. Microsoft Internet Explorer
4. XML Document Object Model
5. RSS
6. Web Services
7. Summary

Chapter 8 - Ajax Using XML and XMLHttpRequest

1. Traditional Versus Ajax Websites
2. XML
3. The XMLHttpRequest Object
4. A Problem Revisited
5. Tabular Information and Forms
6. Advantages and Disadvantages
7. Summary

Chapter 9 - XPath

1. Location Paths
2. Context Node
3. Parent Nodes
4. Attribute Nodes
5. Predicates
6. XPath Functions
7. XPath Expressions
8. XPath Unions
9. Axis
10. Summary

Chapter 10 - XSLT

1. Recursive Versus Iterative Style Sheets
2. XPath in the Style Sheet
3. Elements
4. XSLT Functions
5. XSLT Concepts
6. Client-Side Transformations
7. Summary

Chapter 11 - Ajax Using XSLT

1. XSLT
2. Tabular Information
3. Advantages and Disadvantages
4. Summary

Chapter 12 - Better Living Through Code Reuse

1. Reuse = Laziness
2. JavaScript Objects
3. Generic XSLT
4. Summary

Chapter 13 - Traveling with Ruby on Rails

1. What Is Ruby on Rails?
2. Installation
3. A Little Ruby on Rails Warm-Up
4. A Problem Revisited
5. Whither Ajax?
6. Summary

Chapter 14 - Traveling Farther with Ruby

1. Data Types
2. Variables
3. Operators
4. Flow-Control Statements
5. Threads
6. Ajax
7. Summary

Chapter 15 - The Essential Cross-Browser HTML DOM

1. Interfaces
2. Document
3. Frames
4. Collections
5. Summary

Chapter 16 - Other Items of Interest

1. Sarissa
2. JSON and JSON-RPC
3. ATLAS
4. The World Wide Web Consortium
5. Web Browsers
6. Summary

If you're serious about learning the full benefits of Ajax this is the one for you.