Chapter 2. First steps with the Microsoft Ajax Library

In the age of Ajax programming, web developers need to be more JavaScript proficient than ever. You must accomplish a long list of tasks in an Ajax-enabled page and coordinate activities on the client side. For example, you need the ability to access server resources, process the results quickly, and maintain smooth web-page interactivity. The need for programming patterns that build robust and maintainable code is also on the rise. In a nutshell, a consistent client-side programming environment that works on all modern browsers is essential.

This chapter is the first one dedicated to the Microsoft Ajax Library, which is written on top of JavaScript and constitutes the client portion of the ASP.NET AJAX framework. In the tour of the basic framework components in chapter 1, you began to write code using the library’s syntax. This chapter will provide more examples and give you a comprehensive overview of the library’s features.

2.1. A quick overview of the library

2.2. The Application model

2.3. Working with the DOM

2.4. Making development with JavaScript easier

2.5. Summary