How long has AJAX been around?

[Kaabi]

I recently read that AJAX is relatively new, but I always thought it has been around for awhile. When was it invented? And also, what exactly is it used for? I've always been curious about that.

[Xav]

It isn't actually a language that can be invented. AJAX stands for "Asynchronous JavaScript and XML". It is a technology; basically, a set of languages that are used together to produce dynamic webpages. In other words, webpages that change instantly, more like web apps than static pages.

[chili5]

Exactly AJAX uses XML and JavaScript to exchange data between the browser and the server. This allows the page to be more interactive more like desktop applications.

So I guess you could say that the technology has been around for a very long time, just people didn't know how to use it and older browser's don't support the XMLHttpRequest object.

[Xav]

The XML stores the data, and the JavaScript uses it.

[chili5]

yep so really the technology has been around for a long time just people didn't realize that they could use the two technologies together.

[Xav]

Or computers/internet connections weren't fast enough to be responsive until now.

[Sionofdarkness]

I didn't know about AJAX either, I thought it was a language. I am familiar with dynamic webpages, but I didn't know AJAX was the way (or, a way) to do it.

[chili5]

I don't know much about it, I tried a few tutorials in ajax but I couldn't follow what was happening in the code.

[Xav]

It's just a jumble of languages that are used together to form a new technology of dynamic webpages. Pretty much.

[chili5]

Yeah I know, what it is. I find it really hard to learn it though. The tutorials are kind of confusing.