AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)

AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) is a cornerstone technique in modern web development that allows web pages to be updated asynchronously by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes. This means that it is possible to update parts of a web page, without reloading the whole page, leading to a more dynamic and faster user experience. AJAX leverages a combination of HTML or XHTML for content, CSS for presentation, and JavaScript along with the XMLHttpRequest object for asynchronous communication with the server. Despite its name, AJAX is not limited to XML and can work with various data formats, including JSON, HTML, and plain text. This approach significantly enhances the interactivity and usability of web applications, making them feel more like desktop applications.