ASP.NET AJAX Goals

1: Create a high-productivity platform for AJAX-style browser applications

• Script component model and UI framework for browser-based web applications
• Rich suite of components, controls, and behaviors for common scenarios
• Easy access to services and data from the web

2: Seamlessly integrate with the Microsoft platform and application model

• Fully integrated with ASP.NET and IIS application model
• Easily leverages services and components hosted in ASP.NET
• Connects to and enhances server platforms such as SharePoint

3: Enable world-class tools for AJAX-style application development

• Rich toolset for script development
• Integrated with web authoring tools for developers including Visual Web Developer, Visual Studio 2005, and Expression Web Designer

4: Deliver ubiquitous reach with friction-free deployment and administration

• Works on a wide variety of browsers and platforms, with no client code deployment, including the latest versions of:
  • Internet Explorer
  • Firefox
  • Mozilla
  • Safari (limited functionality—full functionality provided in a future release)
• Based on existing standards: DHTML, JScript, XMLHttp, CSS, etc.

Server Features

ASP.NET AJAX also integrates client scripting with ASP.NET server-side development, so you can handle application tasks wherever it makes the most sense. ASP.NET provides the following server-side features for AJAX applications:

• Web services that are useful to integrate with ASP.NET AJAX applications, such as a profiles service.
• ASP.NET Web server controls that automatically emit all the client script needed for AJAX applications, so you do not need to write JavaScript code.
• Integrated Visual Studio development tools for client-side development, which gives you debugging, statement completion, and other productivity-enhancing features.

Client Features

For client-side development, ASP.NET AJAX manages the complexity of JavaScript-based development and offers the following development features:

• A consistent, object-oriented set of APIs for developing in JavaScript. You can create client code using OOP features that are familiar from working with the .NET Framework.
• Automatic browser compatibility, so that no special coding is required to make your applications run in multiple browsers.
• Client-script APIs and components that support rich UI features, such as drag and drop. You can add these features to HTML controls with little or no coding.
• A declarative model for client development that is similar to the declarative syntax for ASP.NET server controls.