Ajax

Agnostic Ajax: Asynchronous JavaScript and Data

Despite the name AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), it is well known that AJAX does not have to use XML as the data format for AJAX updates. This effort studies the use of four different data formats for AJAX updates, along with the use of gzip. The formats tested for AJAX updates are HTML, XML, JSON, and CSV. Comparisons are made based on the data size required to present the same information, the time needed by a browser to convert the data format to HTML for display, and the number of instructions needed to deliver the response to a query to an end user. These results should provide insight into the use of AJAX, and encourage developers to select AJAX update data formats appropriate to their applications, needs, and target clients.