XMLHttpRequest

My friend Will introduced me to XMLHttpRequest.

As deployment of XML data and web services becomes more widespread, you may occasionally find it convenient to connect an HTML presentation directly to XML data for interim updates without reloading the page. Thanks to the little-known XMLHttpRequest object, an increasing range of web clients can retrieve and submit XML data directly, all in the background. To convert retrieved XML data into renderable HTML content, rely on the client-side Document Object Model (DOM) to read the XML document node tree and compose HTML elements that the user sees.

Basically, this XMLHttpRequest object is a nifty little Javascript object that offers a nice way for webpages to get information from servers without having to refresh themselves or get user input.

Here is an example of Google’s use of the XMLHttpRequest object. Notice how when you start typing, data is suggested to you. This is done dynamically using XML and Javascript. Very interesting isn’t it?

Other XMLHttpRequest Resources:

• Guide to Using XMLHttpRequest (with Baby Steps)
• XMLHttpRequest Usability Guidelines
• XUL Planet
• Using the XML HTTP Request object
• Microsoft XMLHttpRequest documentation