Building Applications with AJAX Programming using Asynchronous JavaScript and XML is behind some of the most popular applications online — and it can help make your site stand out too.

Users who helped spur the growth of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX) programming techniques through grass-roots efforts welcomed last week’s news that several top vendors have joined ...

Simplification of AJAX programming is needed, he stressed. There also is a lack of good AJAX programmers. You might have to go through 20 candidates to find a good one, Boloker said.

Spry lets Web designers create AJAX-enabled Web pages without having to learn new languages or adopt a full programming model, Taylor said. “It’s very lightweight and flexible,” Taylor said.

The issue of Ajax security is mainly a matter of developer culture, according to Hoffman. As the programming technique is relatively immature, it has not yet established best practices.

“We’re taking development to an on-demand model or development as a service,” Ball said. “We’re completely eliminating the need for AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) programming.