22

So lately I've been catching a lot of crap from a junior developer whenever I use the term "dHTML". I know the term is dated, but it's descriptive of what the task is: changing rendered markup on the client. I cringe whenever I see the term "Ajax" applied to client side animation or form validation where no asynchronous request is being made. "Web 2.0" is used a lot as well, but that term can be applied to everything from a business model to a visual style.

What term is used to describe the combination of client-side scripting and CSS effects that may or may not be accompanied by asynchronous server requests?

Emissary
  • 9,954
  • 8
  • 54
  • 65
FriendOfFuture
  • 2,608
  • 1
  • 21
  • 21
  • 1
    I think this question should be wiki? – Pim Jager Feb 23 '09 at 21:41
  • 1
    I don't think there's a reason for it to be wiki. – Adam Davis Feb 23 '09 at 21:42
  • @Micah - thanks for changing the title - I was about to do that when I saw your edit. Very nice. – Adam Davis Feb 23 '09 at 21:43
  • @Adam-Davis np. However this should still be wiki. – Micah Feb 23 '09 at 21:45
  • Wait, somebody saw "@%$#&" in the title and decided that was enough to flag the post as offensive? WTF? Changing the title to something more relevant I understand, but *offensive*???? – Matt Hamilton Feb 23 '09 at 21:45
  • I say we vote for it to be closed until he marks it wiki. only need 2 more – Micah Feb 23 '09 at 21:45
  • What has that post been catching offensive votes for? For using "@%$#&" in the title? That's not even a word, guys. *looks astonished* – Tomalak Feb 23 '09 at 21:46
  • @Matt-Hamilton - It had an unecessary harshness to it. If you feel otherwise, then roll it back. You've got the rep. – Micah Feb 23 '09 at 21:47
  • Nah I don't disagree with editing the title to match the question. I just find it amazing that TWO PEOPLE were offended to the point of flagging it as "hate speech" or "abuse"! – Matt Hamilton Feb 23 '09 at 21:48
  • @Matt Hamilton: I am sure they did it for our best, and it hurts them more than it hurts us. – Tomalak Feb 23 '09 at 21:51
  • I'm fine w/ the title change, it's more descriptive. The offensive flag is a little ridiculous, I guess whoever did it read "@%$#&", translated it in their head and was then offended by whatever their mind offered up. – FriendOfFuture Feb 23 '09 at 21:57
  • Most people call it AJAX these days. Most XMLHTTPRequest calls don't send or receive XML either, but I assume you wouldn't say "I'm making an AJAJ request" if you expected JSON to be returned, because most people wouldn't understand what you meant. (And whilst there's no asynchronous HTTP request being made, JavaScript animation *is* implemented with timeouts, so it that sense it *is* asynchronous.) – Paul D. Waite Jan 08 '13 at 11:31

15 Answers15

24

It's DHTML.

  • It's not AJAX; there is no necessity to do stuff asynchronously or with XML to manipulate the DOM.
  • It's not HTML; that's static markup.
  • It's not Javascript; Javascript is a language that doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with HTML.
  • It's not JQuery; that's a framework and whole different ball of wax.
AnthonyWJones
  • 187,081
  • 35
  • 232
  • 306
  • 3
    Point 2: Who says HTML is defined as static? Point 3: It *is* Javascript, actually, since, you know, you're using Javascript to do it. – Matt Howell Feb 23 '09 at 21:54
  • 4
    @bigmattyh: And walking is called "feet" now, because, you know, you use feet to do it. Sure. – Tomalak Feb 23 '09 at 21:56
  • 1
    @bigmattyh: HTML is declartive, there are no features in HTML itself which allow it dynmically morph once loaded it'll just sit there until acted upon by an exterior force. – AnthonyWJones Feb 23 '09 at 21:57
  • 1
    @bigmattyh: 1) A browser DOM may be manipulated by other languages. 2) Javascript may be hosted by processes other than a browser. – AnthonyWJones Feb 23 '09 at 21:59
  • What he's talking about comprises both HTML and Javascript. It "isn't" any of those things, although I agree that it shouldn't be called simply HTML or Javascript either. I realize now that that's what you're intending to say, but your answer isn't articulated clearly. – Matt Howell Feb 23 '09 at 22:07
  • @Anthony - I have a feeling that you meant to put DHTML :) – Russ Cam Sep 25 '09 at 14:17
  • @Anthony - Is that DTHML or DHTML? – Özgür Feb 09 '10 at 11:58
23

DOM Scripting/Manipulation

Russ Cam
  • 124,184
  • 33
  • 204
  • 266
10

I just call it JavaScript.

jacobangel
  • 6,896
  • 2
  • 34
  • 35
7

Just call it a combination of client-side scripting and css effects that may or may not involve asynchronous server requests.

Gumbo
  • 643,351
  • 109
  • 780
  • 844
4

I call it client-side behavior.

I agree with you too: "AJAX" is reserved for behavior that calls back to the server.

Matt Howell
  • 15,750
  • 7
  • 49
  • 56
4

Ajax. I know it's most commonly used with a server-side request, but just because it is only client side doesn't mean it isn't still called Ajax.

Ajax:

...Despite the name, the use of JavaScript and XML is not actually required, nor do the requests need to be asynchronous.

ryeguy
  • 65,519
  • 58
  • 198
  • 260
  • 1
    +1, don't know who would downvote this - it's the most correct definition of all of them. XHttpRequest would be what they're thinking... – John Rasch Feb 23 '09 at 21:40
  • +1 from me too... dunno why people keep voting this one down, as AJAX is the commonly accepted name for DHTML now. – Powerlord Feb 23 '09 at 21:43
  • The reason is that just because all the other kids are shooting heroin into their forelobes doesn't mean we want to too. – chaos Feb 23 '09 at 21:45
  • 1
    I disagree. Although AJAX was de-acronymed to "Ajax" to reflect other transport mediums, scripting platforms and the use of synchronous requests, it still refers to the loading of data from the server in the background sans a page refresh. – FriendOfFuture Feb 23 '09 at 21:48
  • Wow I guess this is pretty controversial.. +6/-4 heh – ryeguy Feb 23 '09 at 21:49
  • It's all about the A(synchronous). If there's no server callback, it's just Javascript. – Matt Howell Feb 23 '09 at 21:51
  • +1. I use the term "JavaScript" to describe the situation above, but that's just a formality and for my own sake of being as accurate as possible. To anyone else not in the computing field, I'll say Ajax because that is more readily understood. And I CERTAINLY wouldn't dock anyone for saying DHTML. – Mike Feb 23 '09 at 22:00
  • @zodoz: you're giving +1 to an answer despite the fact that it's not accurate, because it's "more readily understood" to people "not in the computing field"? That strikes me as odd. – Beska Feb 23 '09 at 22:03
  • @Beska: No, I gave +1 because I believe it to be the right answer. I was stating that I believe it to be correct in both forms, though you should realize who you are talking to and how well they understand the concepts involved. – Mike Feb 23 '09 at 22:12
  • @zodoz: I agree with the sentiment that you should talk to the understanding level of the listener, but I don't see how using an inaccurate descriptor, just because they're more familiar with it, helps. – Beska Feb 23 '09 at 22:21
  • @zodoz, using a wrong term to describe something even to a non technical person is still wrong. You should use the right terms from the start. Who know's who he has told and perpetuated this mistake, and so it goes on.... – Gary Willoughby Feb 24 '09 at 16:18
  • @bigmattyh: isn't JavaScript animation asynchronous, because it's done with timeouts? `XMLHTTPRequest` says "run this function when an HTTP response comes back; in the meantime". JavaScript animation says "run this function in 3 seconds time". Both are asynchronous in that the current JavaScript thread carries on running. – Paul D. Waite Jan 08 '13 at 11:29
  • @GaryWilloughby: everyone calls it AJAX. Language is an agreement between people to assign meaning to sounds and symbols. People are imprecise. "Decimate" originally meant "reduce by 10%". It doesn't any more. – Paul D. Waite Jan 08 '13 at 11:30
3

I call it jQuery. :)

Tad Donaghe
  • 6,625
  • 1
  • 29
  • 64
3

I would say you're trying to solve the wrong problem. The problem is the snotty-junior's attitude, not your language.

Pitarou
  • 2,211
  • 18
  • 25
3

I'd go with DOM Scripting.

Andy Hume
  • 40,474
  • 10
  • 47
  • 58
3

Call it dHTML or DOM scripting. And I agree: your problem is less with the language and more with the junior developer. If you want to solve the real problem you might ask him what he calls it, and deal with it from there.

EllaJo
  • 225
  • 1
  • 10
1

DHTML still fits in and has in my peer groups. They could be Ajax based UI which is still DHTML with Ajax but in the end, call it what it is. /shrug

Or Javascript

Pat
  • 5,263
  • 1
  • 36
  • 53
1

My 0.02 for DHTML being a valid, albeit currently unfashionable term.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHTML - Dynamic HTML
- just because most javascript animation sucked and JQuery didn't exist at the time that term was coined, doesn't make it any less valid.

Some people even did Ajax before there was a name for it...

What you call it doesn't really matter, unless you're in the marketing department.
"call it yo mama if you want to"

seanb
  • 6,969
  • 2
  • 33
  • 34
0

I thought maybe RIA, since I think "rich" fits, but thinking about the actual definition that probably isn't correct. In fact, RIA might be less accurate than Ajax.

Tina Orooji
  • 1,842
  • 3
  • 15
  • 14
0

"Dynamic web [content|pages|stuff]" is accurate, if not precise. I can see a case being made that "dHTML" is too specific.

chaos
  • 122,029
  • 33
  • 303
  • 309
0

I think what you call it depends on the nature of the conversation. If the conversation is behavior oriented (i.e. I want this area to change based on x, or these to be drag gable) than a solution agnostic term like dynamic is probably best. If you are speaking about a specific solution it would be best to use the language/technology specific terminology for clarity.

N8g
  • 636
  • 2
  • 8
  • 19