Chapter 4. Exploring the Ajax server extensions
In this chapter:
- Updating an existing ASP.NET application
- Performing partial page updates with the UpdatePanel
- Using the ScriptManager
- Working with timers
- Obtaining user feedback
What makes ASP.NET AJAX unique and separates it from other Ajax toolkits and frameworks is the fact that its architecture spans both the client and server. In addition to a rich set of JavaScript libraries, it provides a set of server controls to assist in Ajax development. In the previous two chapters, we revealed the basics of the Microsoft Ajax Library and its ambitions of simplifying Ajax and JavaScript for client-side development. Because most Ajax development originates from the client, these chapters are a pivotal part of the book and will serve as a valuable reference for many of the later chapters.
In this chapter, we continue our discussion of ASP.NET AJAX by delving into the server-side portion of the framework, called the Ajax server extensions. If you’re familiar with the basics of the server extensions, you may wish to skim this chapter or jump ahead to chapters 6 and 7 to gain a deeper understanding of their inner workings. Nonetheless, the foundation we lay here is important and will be beneficial for even experienced Ajax developers.