Ajax on Rails: Build Dynamic Web Applications with Ruby

Sebastopol, CA--In recent years, Ajax and Rails have been two of the hottest--if not the hottest--new technologies in web development. According to Scott Raymond, author of Ajax on Rails (O´Reilly, US $39.99), the two technologies have a bit of a symbiotic relationship: ˝Rails has popularized certain Ajax techniques, and Ajax developers have been drawn to Rails´ approach,˝ he explains. ˝Although most other Rails books have touched on Rails´ Ajax abilities, they left a lot of fertile ground uncovered. I wanted to thoroughly explore the intersection of the two technologies.˝

As Raymond point out, there are solid reasons to believe that both Ajax and Rails will be significant features of the web development landscape for some time. ˝Big players are leading by example: Yahoo, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and IBM have all started using and touting Ajax techniques, and Rails has become so associated with web startups that it´s almost cliche.˝ His new book, which is also available as a PDF (US $19.99), is the definitive guide to where these two technologies converge.

˝Rails and its supporting technologies continue to evolve and grow at a tiring rate, and the documentation efforts tend to lag behind. This book covers the leading edge--with the latest enhancements to RJS (Ruby-generated JavaScript), new Rails best practices like RESTful routes, and a slew of as-yet-undocumented changes in Prototype 1.5, Rails´ standard JavaScript library,˝ notes Raymond. The recently released Rails 1.2 and Prototype 1.5 are rich in new features, and both are very well represented in the book.

- The book demonstrates how to use Ajax and Rails to build high-performance, scalable applications without having to write reams of difficult-to-maintain JavaScript code.
- Provides a thorough, low-level understanding of what´s under the hood, with a high-level understanding of how to use Ajax techniques effectively.
- Includes a complete reference to Prototype 1.5 and script.aculo.us 1.6.1, which can be used even outside of the Rails platform.
- Three fully worked out applications--a quiz program, a photo gallery, and a workgroup collaboration tool--show how everything fits together in practice.

˝My goal is that serious readers will finish the book with the confidence to call themselves Ajax on Rails experts,˝ says Raymond. ˝That means you will not only understand how to use all of Rails´ shortcuts, but you´ll understand how they work as well.˝

Ajax on Rails is written for readers who are familiar with the technologies used in dynamic web sites: (X)HTML, CSS, some basic JavaScript, and some server-side language like PHP. Although this book isn´t an exhaustive guide to Rails (or Ruby), it should be possible for new users to work through all of the examples.

˝On the flip side,˝ adds Raymond, ˝There is a lot in this book meant for pros as well that goes well beyond what any other resource offers. The book covers high-level topics like security, performance, testing, and debugging.˝

And there is one secret about the book, says Raymond: ˝Despite the title, this book is useful for non-Rails developers as well. Its extensive references to Prototype and script.aculo.us are the only such resources in print. Those libraries have users far beyond the Rails community.˝

Scott Raymond is a Ruby on Rails developer living in Kansas City. His work has been highlighted on the Rails web site and the ˝Wall Street Journal Online.˝ Besides participating in the framework´s development, he has led international training sessions and was a presenter at RailsConf 2006.

Background and Market Information: http://del.icio.us/oreillymedia/AjaxonRails.

Additional Resources
- More information about the book, including table of contents, index, author bio, and cover graphic

Ajax on Rails
Scott Raymond
ISBN: 0-596-52744-6, 336 pages, Print: $39.99 US, $51.99 CA
PDF $19.99 US
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938; 1-707-827-7000

About O´Reilly
O´Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O´Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying ˝faint signals˝ from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.

Source: O´Reilly & Associates, Inc.
www.oreilly.com

2007-02-06 13:35

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