How to Learn Ajax: A Beginner’s Guide

The success of a business today is often dictated by the quality of the user experience (UX) design on its landing pages, websites, browsers, and social media profiles. The web development techniques known as Ajax can help create these interactive designs. With Ajax training, your designs can reap the rewards of improved user experience.

But learning Ajax can be difficult. In this guide, we’ll first review the basics, and then we’ll show you some of the best Ajax courses and bootcamps to help you learn the ins and outs. From there, a career in web development, UI design, or UX design will be right around the corner. 

What Is Ajax?

Ajax stands for Asynchronous Javascript and XML. It is a range of web development techniques used to transfer information between servers and clients. Asynchronous refers to the system’s ability to multitask. In the case of Ajax, a client can make multiple requests to a server and does not have to wait for a webpage to respond.

Contrary to popular belief, Ajax is not a programming language or an app. It consists of various markup languages and programming languages that are compatible with both front-end and backend development. Languages used include some of the top programming languages, like HTML, CSS, Javascript, XML, JSON, and PHP. 

To master Ajax, you must first learn these languages. There are many resources available online that will help you learn to code for free. 

A client can use Ajax to get real-time updates without disturbing the user’s experience on a webpage. For example, when you like a post on Facebook, the backend server will receive this data and update the server automatically without disturbing your newsfeed. 

Although this platform uses the asynchronous system, it can be used synchronously. In this case, the webpage will only be able to execute one code at a time. 

What Is Ajax Used For?

Ajax is primarily used to optimize user experience. It became very popular in 2005 when it was recommended by Google. Google’s search engine uses Ajax to function. It sends your query to the server and immediately responds with the top results. 

Today, this interface technique has been adopted by all web browsers. Below are some of the common ways Ajax is applied.

Increasing Web Application Speed and Performance

Ajax techniques were introduced to improve user experience, so fast responses are a crucial aspect of these processes. By using Ajax, web applications can perform tasks quickly, allowing the user to see fast results.

For example, while watching a show on Hulu, you can rate the performance of the show without clicking out of the video. Your rating will immediately be saved into your account and Hulu’s database.

Autocomplete 

Ajax is also the driving force behind the autocomplete features you see on Google, Facebook, Twitter, and other websites. This technique connects the front-end page to the backend server, which then makes automatic suggestions. 

Callbacks

This is one of the primary uses of Ajax. Callback refers to communication between the page and the server. A callback is the process of retrieving and transferring new data to the client from the network without interfering with what the user sees. 

Learn Ajax: Step-by-Step

To fully learn Ajax, you must study markup languages such as HTML that are used to tag items within a website. You should also have a background in other areas of web development. 

For those of you who are just starting out in web development, we have prepared this step-by-step guide to learning Ajax. 

1. Take Courses in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS 

To begin learning how to code in Ajax you must first learn the coding and markup languages. These coding languages are primarily used to communicate with backend servers. Luckily, JavaScript, HTML, and CSS are some of the easiest programming languages to learn.

You might choose to take online courses, read books, or enroll in coding bootcamps to nail down the basics of these languages.

2. Learn XML, JSON, and PHP 

The second step involves expanding your knowledge to other languages used on this platform. Begin by learning XML, then move on to the other two.

Make sure that you study these languages separately to get a better understanding of how they are connected.

3. Research Ajax Basics 

After learning the essential coding tools above, you can now begin familiarizing yourself with the basics of Ajax. To do this, you may want to watch video tutorials online, or join an Ajax community.

4. Enroll in Ajax Training, Courses, and Bootcamps 

Now you can look for courses and bootcamps to enroll in, many of which are listed below. To enhance your career options, we suggest enrolling in courses and training sessions that offer certificates of completion.

 

Learning Ajax won’t take long once you have a background in the relevant coding languages listed above. At this point, you should be able to learn Ajax in a matter of days.

5. Practice 

Practice is the only way you will truly be able to master Ajax, as it is heavily reliant on practical skills. Work on as many Ajax projects as you can while polishing your coding skills. To do this, you can use tools like JSFiddle.

The Best Ajax Courses

There are many online courses in Ajax, so we have compiled some of the best and most credible below. 

LinkedIn Learning – JavaScript and Ajax: Integration Techniques

This introductory course covers a combination of Ajax and JavaScript techniques and how they are used in callbacks and app development. In this course, you will learn everything about Ajax, how to use document object models, and how to incorporate CSS transitions. You can enroll in this course by signing up for a free trial.

Udemy – Ajax Using JavaScript and JQuery + 2 Projects

This course will teach you how to build group chat applications using Ajax. It will teach you how the platform uses JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, and jQuery to improve the web development process. You will also learn the differences between the POST and GET methods used in Ajax.

BitDegree – Easy Ajax Tutorial For Beginners: Learn Ajax Development 

This course on the basics of Ajax development currently costs only $2.99. It will teach you how to create responsive web pages according to user interface data, and will prepare you to develop your own project.

The coursework includes Ajax interactions, HTML, and the role of web servers in application development. A certificate is offered at the end of this course.

Udemy – Ajax: Let’s Build a COOL Project

This course costs $69.99 and consists of 3.5 hours of on-demand videos. It covers how to build web pages using both PHP and Ajax. We recommend this course to those who already have a basic understanding of Ajax. 

Udacity – Intro to Ajax

This course is a great rundown on the fundamentals of Ajax. You will learn how to issue asynchronous requests with jQuery and JavaScript. 

In the course project, you will build your own website using Ajax features. The project is based on the APIs used by The New York Times, Google Street View, and Wikipedia. 

Burlington Code Academy – Client-Side Coding with JavaScript: Ajax

In this Burlington Code Academy bootcamp, you will learn how to use Ajax to deal with client-side coding in JavaScript. It covers how to use Ajax libraries, coding patterns, and data structures.

This bootcamp also goes into topics such as APIs, callbacks, geocoding, leaflet, and jQuery selectors, collectors, and binding. The program includes many project assignments that will allow you to apply what you have learned.

Is Learning Ajax Right for You?

If you are considering a career in web development, then learning Ajax is essential. It is a ubiquitous development technique used by every web platform. Ajax is right for anyone seeking a career in a field related to user experience.

With a lot of demand for professionals with advanced Ajax knowledge, you will be sure to land a job once you have completed the necessary training. If you want to be a part of the world of web development, we recommend enrolling in one of the Ajax courses above immediately. Learning this technique will enhance your portfolio and put you on track toward a successful future in tech.