Ajax is no longer an experimental approach to website development, but the key to building browser-based applications that form the cornerstone of Web 2.0. Head First Ajax gives you an up-to-date perspective that lets you see exactly what you can do — and has been done — with Ajax. With it, you get a highly practical, in-depth, and mature view of what is now a mature development approach. Using the unique and highly effective visual format that has turned Head First titles into runaway bestsellers, this book offers a big picture overview to introduce Ajax, and then explores the use of individual Ajax components — including the JavaScript event model, DOM, XML, JSON, and more — as it progresses. You'll find plenty of sample applications that illustrate the concepts, along with exercises, quizzes, and other interactive features to help you retain what you've learned. Head First Ajax covers:

The book also discusses the server-side implications of building Ajax applications, and uses a "black box" approach to server-side components. Head First Ajax is the ideal guide for experienced web developers comfortable with scripting — particularly those who have completed the exercises in Head First JavaScript — and for experienced programmers in Java, PHP, and C# who want to learn client-side programming.