Practical Web 2.0 Applications with PHP

CHAPTER 5Introduction to Prototypeand Scriptaculous

In this chapter we will be looking at two JavaScript libraries that are designed to help with Web 2.0 and Ajax application development.

First, we will look at Prototype, a JavaScript framework developed by Sam Stephenson. Prototype simplifies JavaScript development by providing the means to easily write for different platforms (browsers). For example, implementing an Ajax subrequest using XMLHttpRequest can be achieved with the same code in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.

Next, we will look at Scriptaculous, a JavaScript library used to add special effects and improve a web site's user interface. Scriptaculous is built upon Prototype, so knowing how to use Scriptaculous requires knowledge ...