| Ajax generally can be a benefit to at least some aspect of any Web site. By opening a quick conduit back to the data and functionality stored on the server, Ajax can improve the user experience of e-mail list submissions, message boards, online shopping, photo sharing, and much, much more. In fact, the use of Ajax is still so young, we are only beginning to see some of the possible applications. Ajax Advantages Being able to turn static Web pages into an interactive environment has several advantages over classic Web interactions: A unified and consistent interface. By not requiring constant page reloads, the Web page interface is not always blinking or jumping around within the window. A fluid user experience. Rather than dealing with individual pages of information, the visitors can work with the page almost as if it were the interface to an application, one that has all the information of the Web behind it. Improved usability. By turning Web pages into Web-enabled applications, many of the paradigms associated with standard software can be implemented, leading to improved usability. Optimal use of bandwidth. Most of the time, Ajax allows for a speedier display of content, since smaller data chunks are needed to update the Web page. Perceived speed increase. Whether the data is delivered more quickly or not, users feel as if the experience is much faster because the system does not pause to reload pages. Content and functionality sharing. By sharing code, the Web itself will become an open platform and Web sites less insular. Functionality and content created for one Web site can be easily shared around the Web. Heightened interactivity. Because of the real and perceived speed increases mentioned above, Web visitors are more likely to interact with the pages to make small data changes that can be just as quickly undone. For example, given a page of DVDs to rate, Ajax allows the user to quickly move through the list making rating decisions; whereas the classic Web experience requires that they wait for a new page to load after every change to save and display the changes, making most visitors less inclined to bother.
Ajax Disadvantages There is no such thing as a perfect technology, and using Ajax in your Web site comes with its own set of worries. In fact, many of Ajax's advantages can prove to be a double-edged sword: Unexpected or uncertain behaviors. Although usability might be improved by making Web pages more application-like, the reverse argument can be made that they then become less Web-page-like, breaking expected Web behaviors. Response time delays. Although Ajax should speed things up, any network problems or other speed bumps in getting the data to and from the server can cause downtime. Since this effect can be extremely unpredictable, it is hard to create useful contingency plans. Security concerns. Although in their infancy, exploits of Ajax have already appeared on the Web, in which hackers have accessed the data being passed back and forth. Precautions can and should always be taken. Accessibility limitations. Because Ajax is such a new technology and relies on particular user interactions, Ajax-enabled Web sites often have a hard time meeting the WAI accessibility guidelines (w3.org/TR/WCAG10/) or adhering to the U.S. government's Section 508 Compliance Standards (section508.gov). Search Engine Optimization. Dynamically changing content after the initial page load currently means that Web page search engine "spiders" will not see all of the content you have available. This can lead to lower rankings for your Web pages when they have content relevant to a given search.
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