Communication lines in the 1990s, when the Internet became widespread, used low-speed communication lines such as telephone lines and ISDN lines, so it took an enormous amount of time to display Web pages.
Nowadays, with the advent of optical lines and lines with high communication speeds such as 5G, it is possible to enjoy comfortable internet surfing.
Did you know that a new communication technology called ” Ajax ” has emerged as a technology that supports this comfortable internet surfing?
This time, we will introduce in detail the merits and usage examples of Ajax based on the basic knowledge of synchronous communication and asynchronous communication.
If you are a person in charge of a company who wants to utilize Ajax for a company’s corporate site or EC site, please refer to this content.
table of contents
- 1. How do synchronous communication and asynchronous communication work?
- 2. What is Ajax?
- 3. Ajax usage example
- 4. What are the benefits of Ajax?
- 5. How to introduce Ajax to web pages and services?
How do synchronous communication and asynchronous communication work?
Before understanding Ajax, let’s briefly learn about “synchronous communication” and “asynchronous communication” as basic information. Synchronous communication and asynchronous communication are both terms used as “communication methods to the server”.
For example, if a user tries to “view a website” through a browser, he first makes an “HTTP request” to the server. On the other hand, the server-side returns a response to the received request, and the Web page is displayed on the user’s browser.
Synchronous communication is simply “a way to perform this series of tasks in order”. “The user cannot take any new action” until the response to the request is processed. Since it is necessary to wait for the completion of processing, there is a feature that “communication tends to take time”. To put it simply, it is synchronous communication that communicates like a catch ball.
Asynchronous communication, on the other hand, is the opposite of synchronous communication, which is a “method of ignoring the order of tasks.” Even while the server is processing the response, the user can perform new operations, so Internet communication can be performed smoothly. To put it simply, it may be recognized as “a communication method that can perform various processes in parallel”.
What is Ajax?
| What is Ajax? | |
|---|---|
| word | Overview |
| An (Asynchronous) | Asynchronous, how to perform multiple processes or communication without timing |
| JA (JavaScript) | A programming language used to move web pages |
| X (XML) | A markup language for describing the appearance and structure of sentences |
Ajax is a coined word created by combining Asynchronous, JavaScript, and XML. It refers to the “execution of asynchronous communication introduced in the previous section with JavaScript technology”. Some companies simply refer to “asynchronous communication” and call it Ajax. Ajax is a technology installed in web pages, but by using this Ajax, it is possible to “update only a part of the information” without updating the entire web page. Ajax technology itself has been used for a long time, but by being used in the search engine and map application described later, it can be incorporated into other web pages and services.
XML here is a “markup language for describing the appearance and structure of sentences”, but it is mainly used to improve the efficiency of data management as a technology that supports Ajax. Detailed information on the features of XML is also explained on the following pages.
■ What is XML? Differences between HTML and basic knowledge that is easy for IT beginners to understand
By the way, even if you hear the vague story that “only a part of the page can be updated”, which is a characteristic of Ajax, it will be difficult to understand the features and effects of Ajax without knowing the specific purpose. The following sections provide more details on specific use cases for Ajax.
Ajax usage example
As explained at the beginning, Ajax is used for various web pages and services as a technology that supports comfortable internet surfing. Typical usage examples are as follows.
- Search engine
- Map app
- EC site
- SNS service
● Search engine
To give a familiar example, Ajax is also installed in “Google’s search engine”. Google’s search engine will list the expected keyword suggestions in the search form without having to enter all the keywords you want to search. Ajax is also used for this technology. To simply explain this mechanism, while inputting keywords, the processing is also performed on the server-side, and only the predicted keywords are displayed on the search form.
● Map app
In addition, map apps such as Google Map can be said to be typical services that utilize Ajax. By scrolling the map and continuing to load the new map, you can continue to display the map without delay. If you operate a map app that doesn’t use Ajax technology, you’ll need to refresh the entire page each time you scroll the map.
● EC site
A good example of how to use Ajax is the product page of a shopping site. It is not uncommon for the number of product pages to increase on shopping sites that handle a large number of products. The process of updating each time you move a page can be very stressful to your users. In such a case, you can use Ajax to display products one after another without moving the page.
● SNS service
In addition, Ajax technology may also be used in “SNS services” such as Twitter and Facebook. Similar to the map app mentioned above, the SNS service using Ajax can seamlessly display the past timeline just by scrolling the browser.
Since this Ajax is a technology realized by using the communication function of JavaScript, it is often used by system companies that specialize in JavaScript for software and application development. If you are a company with engineers who are good at JavaScript, why not consider system development using Ajax?
What are the benefits of Ajax?
The merit of introducing Ajax in a company will be that it will be easier to improve the performance of corporate sites and EC sites. For example, if you want to introduce a map application or SNS to a company’s site as mentioned above, you can easily install it using Ajax technology. It can be said that Ajax is attractive because it can be used for various purposes depending on the device.
Also, if you use Ajax for mailboxes and chat tools, it can be automatically updated as you send and receive emails and messages. Since only a part of the Web page is updated, the load on the server-side is less likely to be applied, which leads to the reduction of communication volume. Ajax is a strong ally for business people who want to create “homepages with high operability” and “web pages that do not make users feel waiting time”.
However, Ajax is executed by JavaScript technology, so if you have a browser that cannot use JavaScript, you will not be able to use Ajax at the same time. In addition, there is a concern that security vulnerabilities are likely to occur because communication processing occurs invisibly. When using Ajax, it is important to understand these advantages and disadvantages.
How to introduce Ajax to web pages and services?
Finally, let’s explain how to install Ajax for business people who want to use Ajax for web pages and services. There are many frameworks dedicated to Ajax development, such as “Google Web Toolkit” and “jQuery”. These will also make it easier to integrate Ajax into your site or service.
However, even if you have a framework, if you are new to IT, it may be difficult to master the framework itself. It’s also true that working with Ajax can be difficult without an engineer who is familiar with the JavaScript (or Document Object Model) that underpins Ajax.
Therefore, if it is difficult to develop a site or service using Ajax in-house, we recommend that you place an order with an external company. It is not uncommon for system companies that can handle JavaScript to develop Ajax. Outsourcing in system development is also attractive because it can be used for detailed purposes such as “I want to put a map application on the corporate site!” And “I want to introduce Ajax on the product page of the shopping site”.
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