Part 1. ASP.NET AJAX basics

The first part of the book sets the foundations of ASP.NET AJAX. Chapter 1 introduces the main Ajax concepts and terminology. In this chapter, we’ll also take a whirlwind tour of the features in ASP.NET AJAX that will be covered throughout the book.

The subsequent chapters discuss the primary development models used in ASP.NET AJAX programming. We present the client-centric programming model in chapters 2 and 3. Reading these chapters will provide you with the skills you need to write object-oriented JavaScript code using the Microsoft Ajax Library.

Chapter 4 takes a break from the client-script to introduce the Ajax server extensions-a server-centric solution for ASP.NET developers. In this chapter, you’ll enhance an existing ASP.NET application with the controls and features of the ASP.NET AJAX framework. This pattern is continued in chapter 6, where we offer a thorough explanation of how to use the ScriptManager control for partial-page rendering. In between, chapter 5 focuses on one of the fundamental pillars of Ajax: making asynchronous calls. This chapter unveils how asynchronous calls to the server are invoked from the browser.