Web Development Beginner

What is AJAX?

A technique for making asynchronous HTTP requests from a web page without reloading the entire page.

AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) enables dynamic page updates by fetching data from the server in the background. Originally using XMLHttpRequest, modern JavaScript uses the Fetch API: fetch('/api/data').then(r => r.json()).then(data => updateUI(data)).

AJAX revolutionized web development by enabling single-page-like experiences. Common uses include form submission without reload, infinite scrolling, auto-complete search, live notifications, and real-time dashboards. Despite the name, JSON has largely replaced XML as the data format.

Related Terms

Static Site Generator (SSG)

A tool that generates a complete static HTML website from templates and content at build time, requiring no server-side processing.

Storing copies of frequently accessed data in faster storage to reduce load times and server processing.

Responsive Design

A web design approach that makes web pages render well on all screen sizes using flexible layouts and media queries.

An automatic OPTIONS request sent by browsers before certain cross-origin requests to check if the actual request is permitted.

The second major version of HTTP that improves performance through multiplexing, header compression, and server push.

A CSS layout model that provides efficient arrangement of items within a container, handling alignment, distribution, and spacing.

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