Intro to Ajax

Reference: Using Ajax for Web Application Development - What Businesses Need to Know

Ajax - Asynchronous JavaScript and XML
Ajax web programming enables a web application development team to create a sit that allows users to perform certain functions without the need for redrawing or reloading an entire screen.

Benefits:
1. It offers site developers an extra level of innovation that can make a site easier to use for all visitors.
2. When implemented correctly, it gives users the feeling that a web application is more responsive than a traditional web site.
3. It can allow a business to give its site new functionality and new services to be used by partners or clients.
4. It can give parity to a business.

Things to be careful:
1. This type of web programming can make a site more difficult for visitors to use.
The web is at its core a very user-friendly system, but Ajax can introduce new behaviors that people may not be ready for or may be confused by.
This can cause visitors to leave your site quickly, without actually performing the tasks.
2. Ajax programming can create a host of other problems with which businesses should be concerned.
3. Ajax can open up a webserver to have an increased attack surface.
This form of web programming unfortunately gives a hacker more ways to get into the server than there were before.
The solution to this is to make sure that the web application development team is more vigilant about security and testing, and to constantly keep watch on the activity occurring on the site.
4. Different browsers read Ajax differently, the web application development team will have to do additional testing for accessibility.

Use it with caution and with care! - this is the important note I've got from this article. ^_^