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Web 2.0

 

Web 2.0 is the new coin up phrase for technology that has been around for a while now. The interesting part of this is that it allows for feature rich internet applications. You will also hear the term mashup used when people talk about Web 2.0. So what I'm going to do is break it down for you.

 

Web 2.0 is a unique blend of the technologies known as AJAX and standard DOM programming often in Javascript. AJAX simply allows for a programmer to make a request to a web server for more content with out refreshing the page. This allows programmers to make rich internet applications which respond more like any standard windows application that you use on a day to day bases.

 

For example you would be very upset if when writing a letter in Microsoft Word you have to save,close and restart the application every time you changed a font setting. This is a very simplistic view of what AJAX is doing. You will find that most programmers use this technology to make dynamic requests to web servers for more information or to update content/settings on the server with out refreshing the page. Giving the end user a much more pleasant experience.

 

The other technology Javascript is cross browser compatible and allows programmers to interact with the browser DOM (Document Object Model). This model represents the page your are seeing in an object oriented (OO) fashion giving programmers powerful control to update and control the page you are looking at.

 

These two technologies together give the programmer the ability to program what are called design 'patterns'. These patterns mean that if you are used to 'dragging and dropping' in a windows application, then a programmer can do the same in a web browser. Then AJAX can update/save the values from the action your just preformed with out ever refreshing the page.

 

Now that programmers are able to make exciting new interfaces which users are more familiar with, we received the introduction of a new term 'Mashups' a mash up is when one technology solutions or product is integrated with another technology solution or product. A simple example of this would be to integrate a Google map on to your web site. There are many products and services from big companies being offered for free now that allow you to create a 'Mashup' which greatly enhances your web site, but doesn't involve many of the costs involved in developing the technology yourself.

 

The only other thing to mention about Web 2.0 is that is has brought with it a new design style. The advantage of this is that you will find common interfaces between web sites irrelevant of the main goal of the web site. This allows users to quickly understand and use your web site. This new design style is not documented that well but used widely. In the main it has increased the quality and detail that goes into the final design. So gradients,shadows, hash marks and 'stickers' are on the hot list for future designs.

 

Do you need to use it? Not really, most web sites have tried a bit of web 2.0 programming and design and found it to be overkill. You also will find an increased amount of support and development time in Web 2.0 applications Debugging the applications crossbrowers has become more of an art form, than a standard.

 

I feel that AJAX and Web 2.0 is going to play a massive part in moving the internet forward but will only be used sparingly