Press releases

Head First Ajax--New from O'Reilly: A Brain-Friendly Guide to Mastering Ajax

Press release: September 1, 2008

Head First Ajax Sebastopol, CA—Ajax is no longer an experimental approach to website development, but the key to building browser-based applications that form the cornerstone of Web 2.0. Head First Ajax by Rebecca M. Riordan (O'Reilly, US $44.99) gives you an up-to-date perspective that lets you see exactly what you can do—and has been done—with Ajax. With it, you get a highly practical, in-depth, and mature view of what is now a mature development approach.

Using the unique and highly effective visual format that has turned Head First titles into runaway bestsellers, this book offers a big picture overview to introduce Ajax, and then explores the use of individual Ajax components—including the JavaScript event model, DOM, XML, JSON, and more—as it progresses. You'll find plenty of sample applications that illustrate the concepts, along with exercises, quizzes, and other interactive features to help you retain what you've learned.

Head First Ajax covers:

  • The JavaScript event model
  • Making Ajax requests with XMLHTTPREQUEST objects
  • The asynchronous application model
  • The Document Object Model (DOM)
  • Manipulating the DOM in JavaScript
  • Controlling the browser with the Browser Object Model
  • XHTML Forms
  • POST Requests
  • XML Syntax and the XML DOM tree
  • XML Requests & Responses
  • JSON—an alternative to XML
  • Ajax architecture & patterns
  • The Prototype Library

The book also discusses the server-side implications of building Ajax applications, and uses a "black box" approach to server-side components.

Head First Ajax is the ideal guide for experienced web developers comfortable with scripting—particularly those who have completed the exercises in Head First JavaScript—and for experienced programmers in Java, PHP, and C# who want to learn client-side programming.

For a review copy or more information please email kathrynb@oreilly.com. Please include your delivery address and contact information.

Rebecca M. Riordan has earned an international reputation for designing and implementing computer systems that are technically sound, reliable, and effectively meet her clients' needs. Her particular area of expertise is database design and she is a five year Access MVP. Rebecca has also authored several database books and served as a senior technical support engineer for Microsoft's database products. As a Microsoft employee in Australia, Rebecca was the Senior technical support engineer for Microsoft's database products.

Additional Resources:
For more information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bios, and cover graphic, see the catalog page for Head First Ajax.

Head First Ajax
Rebecca M. Riordan
ISBN: 9780596515782, 527 pages, $44.99 USD, £27.99 GBP
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000


About O’Reilly

O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

Email a link to this press release