Simplifying The RIA

When Ajax was first introduced a couple of years ago, there were limited options for developers who waned to build an efficient Ajax based application. Everyone has to deal with the fact that the only way to properly build an Ajax based application is to master JavaScript. But very few developers who actually have enough proficiency and experience with JavaScript since before Ajax, JavaScript are just one of the minor programming languages.

Fortunately, the development of Ajax has become a lot easier because of different frameworks. Developers should have no problem in implementing different type of functions as long as the frameworks could provide them. Almost any programming language during that time has a corresponding framework that could convert the functions into JavaScript and eventually Ajax.

Although the number of frameworks have significantly been reduced because some were eventually discarded, the number of frameworks is still very impressive. Some frameworks could be used for free while other frameworks will require developers and business shell out some licenses. The choice is almost endless.

But the hunt for simplifying interaction and development in Ajax and other RIA applications did not end with frameworks. More and more functionalities were proposed to improve the experience of users.

Microsoft pushed for a better client or more specifically OS and browser while others (also including Ajax) pushed for more platforms which will require additional learning and experience. The end result is an almost unlimited option on top of another option. Every starting developer will not have an easy time figuring out how these things will actually come together.

Dealing with Browsers

But dealing with the challenges of RIA and the development of Ajax based application could have been addressed early on. Almost every developer agrees that the most challenging feature of JavaScript is not on coding but in figuring out the acceptability of different functions in different browsers. The problem is not just based on Internet Explorer but in other major browsers as well.

There are many remarkable functions found in JavaScript but not every one of them could be easily implemented in one browser. There will always be something wrong with one of the functions. Because of this problem, developers are forced to develop the application according to the most popular browser adopted by users. Instead of pushing creativity for better user interaction, the application is left to be conventional.

Ajax is Always a Challenge

Because of the overflow of information of Ajax, developers will always be left alone in figuring out how to develop an Ajax based application. There is actually another problem that could come from this challenge – security. The scariest part in dealing with Ajax based application is in the fact that developers would always have to be on guard on different type of attacks.

Although there are many security measures that have been provided to deal with security risks of Ajax, hackers will always find a way to work around the challenges. This has to be dealt with together with browser incompatibilities. Browsers have to come together to unify their functions or else open up a lot of applications to different types of attacks.