Preventing Variable Problems in Ajax

Ajax is undoubtedly a very popular programming technique today. The use of JavaScript and XML has never been so popular because of the need of client side functionality. Through Ajax, developers around the world are able to build not only websites but online applications that could easily rival some desktop applications.

There was even a time that Ajax was so popular, experiments that transforms the browser into a virtual desktop exists. Although they do not exist anymore due to processing problem, it shows how Ajax could be very powerful as long as the hardware and the browser could keep up with the demands of the users.

Because of the popularity of Ajax as the programming technique for online applications, certain problems could arise. Among them are conflicts in variables wherein the variables in one application will easily interact with another variable since they have the same identity.

This can happen since many developers are practicing information extraction from other websites. Instead of using the server to stream information to the client side, developers use other websites so that they could save on hardware requirements. But it could be costly in development because of variable conflicts.

Variable conflicts could also happen in mash-ups wherein two or more frameworks for Ajax are used to develop a powerful application. Although frameworks have distinct coding on most of their functions, it’s still a possibility that their coding could conflict because the variables have the same names. This is very likely since frameworks for Ajax are used in online applications which largely deal with massive data.

There three ways on handling conflicts:

• Differentiating Objects – As the application deals with data, the objects could be easily be confused by the frameworks. This is very challenging since the easiest way of determining if the objects are in conflict with another object is when the application is already not working. But it could be prevented as long as you compare the objects of one framework with another framework.

• Different ID Attributes – Another focus for conflict is the ID attributes. This type of variable in Ajax based applications are relatively easier to detect since they are used in the HTML portion of the application. You’ll easily notice that the ID attributes in HTML for Ajax based applications since you’ll notice them separated with the rest of JavaScript functions.

• Keeping Functions Simple – There is always a tendency to overdo an Ajax based application because of the complexity of functions. Exposing too many functions in the application for mash-ups could easily lead to conflict. If they are limited in functions, developers can easily limit the conflicts in the application. Although there are tradeoffs in simplifying the application, the ease of mash-up development is worth it.

By ensuring that conflicts in variables will not happen, developers should be able to build an application faster. Mash-ups would also work more efficiently since they will be able to interact without any problem. By preventing conflicts, serious complications which could take time and resources will never happen.