So - how do you find out more about Ajax and how it interacts with the system?

Before I found this weblog I though Ajax was something we used to clean the bathroom. (haha) Now I understand some of the potential weakness and strength that has to do with the scripting. I would like to know how others managed to find tutorials that were appropriate and learner friendly for the run of the mill computer junkie?

Developing Ajax in Java Webinar

Dave Johnson, CTO and co-founder of eBusiness Applications, will be giving a Webinar on Ajax in Java on June 14th @ 2pm EDT (11am PDT).

More details can be had at this url as well as below:

Implementing AJAX with Java

When: June 14, 2006 - 2:00pm EDT, 11:00am PDT

Presenter: Dave Johnson, CTO and co-founder, eBusiness Applications

Some of the things that will be covered in the Webcast:

What does a Java developer need to know to get started with AJAX? In this Webcast, Dave Johnson, CTO of eBusiness applications, will highlight the AJAX application model, the problems and pitfalls to avoid, and the tools to be aware of.

And the topics covered:

• What is AJAX and what are the basic technologies
• The basics of the Java DWR AJAX Framework
• What are the critical application architecture decisions
• How should developers approach testing and debugging in a Web browser

jsquery - AJAX JavaScript ResultSet with securable JDBC server side component

This is a very FAST AJAX implementation using server generated javascript and eval() as opposed to XML.

Site includes full source code distribution with working examples.

http://www.jsquery.com/

An implementation of an AJAX JavaScript data generation server, http client, and client result set

Uses a JavaScript http client to dynamically map the results of data requests from a Java application server to a web browser HTML form without requiring refresh or page submit (similar to Google Suggest). Server side data can be SQL via JDBC, an object relational mapping using a tool such as Hibernate, returned from a server connecting a group of peers or pipelined from another source like a SOAP server.

Ajaxifying Your Struts Web App

Here’s one for the Java crowd, which seems to be increasingly adding support (via libraries and frameworks) for Ajax in java-based web apps.

Paul Brownse of java.net has an extensive tutorial on ajaxifying your struts app:

AJAX is the latest revolution in web development circles, allowing rich dynamic interfaces deployed within a normal web browser. Struts has been one of the de facto standards for Java-Web development for a number of years, with a large number of applications already deployed. This article will show you how to combine the richness of an AJAX user interface with your existing Struts applications.

Here’s a flamewar starter poll: Which web programming platform / language has the best support for Ajax?

AJAX: Dawn of a new developer - Good introductory article on JavaWorld.com

Dave Johnson presents an excellently written introduction to Ajax over at JavaWorld.com. Besides calling Ajax the “crown jewel in the current Web evolution that has been dubbed Web 2.0″ (a position we would not necessarily disagree with…), Johnson presents a good case (especially directed towards Java developers) for the use of Ajax. He also gets into some good patterns to use and development tips. All in all, an excellent Ajax article, especially if you’re a Java developer.

Summary
The recently coined term AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript with XML) has given new life to Web development and spurred the advance of Web 2.0. This article looks at the current state of AJAX and how it is changing the Web developer’s job description. In particular, Dave Johnson identifies some of the more important AJAX technologies and tools and how these are introducing new usability and development issues for Web developers.

Read the entire article: AJAX: Dawn of a new developer

IBM Tackles Ajax and Web Services

IBM’s developerWorks on Ajax and Scripting Web Services with E4X, Part 1:

Get an introduction to ECMAScript for XML (E4X), a simple extension to JavaScript that makes XML scripting very simple. In this paper, the authors demonstrate a Web programming model called Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) and show you how some new XML extensions to JavaScript can make it very simple.

Haven’t taken too deep a look at this yet. Seems like there are millions of homegrown Ajax++ libraries popping up all over the place.

Hopefully a clear winner will emerge soon, so you don’t have to learn a new custom Ajax scripting meta-platform whenever you switch development houses. (*cough* unlikely)

Baking Ajax into Struts and Spring MVC

This one’s for the Java developers out there.

Raible designs on baking Ajax into Struts and Spring MVC:

I see a trend happening here. The next version of WebWork, as well as Tapestry and JSF are all embracing Ajax technologies. By “embracing”, I mean they’re not only using them, but they’re making it easier for us to use them.

After using XmlHttpRequest in my last two projects, I think this is a must for Struts and Spring MVC as well. The technology is very cool and customers absolutely love it.

The question is how do we bake it in? WebWork makes it easy because its tag libraries are backed by customizable Velocity templates. With Struts and Spring MVC, it seems the best way would be to use tag libraries, but maybe there’s better alternatives. Do they each need an AjaxAction/AjaxController or something that allows DWR-type stuff?

A few additional links on this topic (from a comment on the thread):

• For Struts: XHRStruts
• For JSPs: Japano