What are the benefits of AJAX?
In traditional Web development, when a page from your application is displayed and you want to modify a single element (a price, a list of vehicles, and so on), the server needs to resend the entire page to the user’s browser.

This has several down sides:
- it overloads the server since it has to resend the entire page;
- it slows down the server since it has to rebuild the page;
- it eats up some bandwidth (the entire page’s contents need to be sent, which usually amounts to several dozens KB or hundreds of KB);
- it usually creates a “redraw” effect on the user’s browser;
- the display on the user’s machine may be slow since the browser has to reinterpret and redisplay the entire page.

With the AJAX technology – key concept in WEB 2.0 – you can now send only the modified data to the user’s machine, without refreshing the entire page. There are many benefits:
- the server is less taxed, which allows for a larger number of connections to a physical server;
- the amount of information exchanged is reduced;
- the transmission time is shorter;
- the display is instantaneous without any visual impact for the Web user.

How to implement AJAX using WEBDEV?
You don’t need to code anything.
You automatically benefit from AJAX.
You keep programming in a 5GL (WLanguage). WEBDEV takes care of everything.

A new “AJAX” choice appears in the code editor’s title bar. By default, the word “AJAX” is crossed out, which means that the operations will be performed using traditional WEB programming.

This is that simple!

Thanks to WEBDEV, you don’t need to dig into the mystery of JavaScript; you can simply click your way through! Faithful to its core principle of enabling powerful yet easy development, PC SOFT allows your development teams easy access, without any risks or delays, to useful state-of-the-art technologies.

Security
Because of its technology, AJAX lets procedures and server processes be started from a browser call.

To secure sites, by default, WEBDEV procedures and processes are protected from all illegal calls (attempt to hijack a session, etc.)

If you wish to authorize the free calling of some procedures, simply click the authorization button and the “red light” (non-secure access forbidden) turns into a “green light” (free access authorized).

Controls supported in this version
The following controls can be refreshed through AJAX in this version of WEBDEV:
- edit control
- formatted display control
- combo box
- list box
- check box
- radio button
- image
- …

FAQ
Can an existing site be migrated to AJAX in just a few clicks?
Absolutely!

I am a JavaScript specialist, can I code AJAX operations myself?
Yes, the AjaxExecute and AjaxExecuteAsynchronous functions allow you to totally customize your code.

Where does the name AJAX come from?
AJAX is an acronym that means Asynchronous JavaScript And XML.

Is AJAX a new technology?
We are using this term, but in fact AJAX is a combination of existing, optimized Web technologies.

Since when is AJAX available in WEBDEV?
AJAX is available since WEBDEV 10.