Ajax: The Definitive Guide

Appendix B. JavaScript Framework, Toolkit, and Library References

The many available JavaScript frameworks, toolkits, and libraries make it easier and quicker for developers to create Ajax applications. These code bases give two main things to developers: robust Ajax objects and browser effects objects. This appendix demonstrates the Ajax capabilities of some of the most popular frameworks, toolkits, and libraries available. It also briefly discusses the effects that these JavaScript code bases may have available. What is interesting is how these different frameworks, toolkits, and libraries implement the same basic Ajax technology, and how they enhance and strengthen it with their own ideas.

Tip

These are not complete references. A complete set of references for these frameworks would occupy a small bookshelf.

Prototype Framework Reference

The Prototype Framework allows for the development of dynamic web applications in an object-oriented environment. The standards-compliant code, written and maintained by Sam Stephenson (among others), takes the burden associated with creating these applications away from the developer. The development of this framework is driven largely by the Ruby on Rails framework, though it is usable in any environment.

This reference is based on version 1.5.1. You can find more information and full documentation of the Prototype Framework at http://www.prototypejs.org/.

Ajax with Prototype

The Prototype Framework makes it very easy to deal with Ajax in a way that ...