Ajax, the popular term for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is one of the most important combinations of technologies for web developers to know these days. With its rich grouping of technologies, Ajax developers can create interactive web applications with XML-based web services, using JavaScript in the browser to process the web server response.

Taking complete advantage of Ajax, however, requires something more than your typical "how-to" book. What it calls for is Ajax Hacks from O'Reilly. This valuable guide provides direct, hands-on solutions that take the mystery out of Ajax's many capabilities. Each hack represents a clever way to accomplish a specific task, saving you countless hours of searching for the right answer.

A smart collection of 80 insider tips and tricks, Ajax Hacks covers all of the technology's finer points. Want to build next-generation web applications today? This book can show you how. Among the multitude of topics addressed, it shows you techniques for:

• Using Ajax with Google Maps and Yahoo Maps
• Displaying Weather.com data
• Scraping stock quotes
• Fetching postal codes
• Building web forms with auto-complete functionality

Ajax Hacks also features a number of advanced hacks for accelerated web developers. Discover how to create huge, maintainable bookmarklets, how to use client-side storage for Ajax applications, and how to call a built-in Java object from JavaScript using Ajax. The book even addresses best practices for testing Ajax applications and improving maintenance, performance, and reliability for JavaScript code.

The latest in O"Reilly's celebrated Hacks series, Ajax Hacks smartly complements other O'Reilly titles such as Head Rush Ajax and JavaScript: The Definitive Guide.

Bruce Perry is an independent Java software developer and writer. Since 1996, he has developed web applications and databases for various nonprofits, design and marketing firms, and ad agencies. When not hacking or writing, he loves cycling and climbing mountains in the U.S. and Switzerland. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife Stacy LeBaron, daughter Rachel, and son Scott.

• 
  Foreword
  


• 
  Credits
  


• 
  Preface
  


• 
  Chapter 1: Ajax Basics
  


• 
  Chapter 2: Web Forms
  


• 
  Chapter 3: Validation
  


• 
  Chapter 4: Power Hacks for Web Developers
  


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  Chapter 5: Direct Web Remoting (DWR)for Java Jocks
  


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  Chapter 6: Hack Ajax with the Prototype and Rico Libraries
  


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  Chapter 7: Work with Ajax and Ruby on Rails
  


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  Chapter 8: Savor the script.aculo.us JavaScript Library
  


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  Chapter 9: Options and Efficiencies