Beginning Ajax with PHP.

-- Introducing Ajax
-- Ajax Basics
-- PHP and Ajax
-- Database-Driven Ajax
-- Forms
-- Images
-- A Real-World Ajax Application
-- Ergonomic Display
-- Web Services
-- Spatially Enabled Web Applications
-- Cross-Browser Issues
-- Security
-- Testing and Debugging
-- The DOM

With the emergence of Ajax, gone are the days of clicking and waiting on the Web. Users now have the luxury of accessing desktop-like applications from any computer hosting a browser and an Internet connection. Likewise, developers now have more reason than ever to migrate their applications to an environment that has the potential for unlimited users. Yet despite all that Ajax promises, many web developers readily admit being intimidated by the need to learn JavaScript (a key Ajax technology). Not to worry! I wrote this book to show PHP users how to incorporate Ajax into their web applications without necessarily getting bogged down in confusing JavaScript syntax. I've chosen to introduce the topic by way of practical examples and real-world applications. After a rapid introduction to Ajax fundamentals, you'll learn how to effectively use Ajax and PHP together, followed by further instruction regarding dynamically updating pages using data retrieved from a MySQL database. From there, you'll learn how to create practical Ajax-driven features such as a dynamic file upload and thumbnail-generation tools, culminating in the creation of an Ajax-based photo gallery. In later chapters, I focus on other timely topics, such as web services and building spatially enabled web applications using the Google Maps API. The book concludes with an overview of topics that will make you a more effective Ajax developer, including a look at cross-browser issues, security, testing and debugging, and finally, an introduction to the document object model (DOM).