This document compares AJAX and Flex technologies for building rich internet applications (RIAs). It provides examples of applications built with each technology. AJAX allows updating parts of a web page asynchronously using JavaScript, XML, and CSS. Flex is a framework for building RIAs using ActionScript code. Both have benefits for developers and enterprises. The document concludes that AJAX is better for small, frequent updates while Flex is better for large, complex applications requiring rich media. It also provides an example of how AJAX and Flex can be used together interoperably in a single application.

1. AJAX or Adobe
How to select RIA Technologies

2. • Needs of RIA
• Ajax showcases
• Flex showcases
• Strength/weakness
• Interoperability

3. Needs of RIA
• Improve responsiveness
• Client/Server balance
• Network efficiency
• Asynchronous communication

4. AJAX Showcases

5. Bubble tooltips - Amazon
Star rating bar - Amazon Dropdown menu – Google docs

6. Modal dialog – Flickr
File uploading– Box.net
In-place-edit– del.icio.us

7. Tab menu - Flickr
Sortable/resizable/editable table Drag & drop – iGoogle

10. Standards-based presentation
Dynamic display and interaction
Document Object Model
Data interchange and manipulation
XHTML & CSS
XML & XSLT
Server side system
XMLHttpRequest
Asynchronous data retrieval
JavaScript
AJAX
Asynchronous JavaScript And XML

12. AJAX: an fast lane to a better user experience
The Benefits
For Enterprises For Developers
• AJAX helps meet time- • Leverage developers’
to-market needs existing web skills like
• AJAX favors gradual JavaScript, CSS, etc
re-factoring of existing • Easy to integrate AJAX
web apps widgets into existing web
• AJAX can deliver apps
speedy performance • Open source communities

13. AJAX: Chaos
The Drawbacks
• Easy to choose wrong framework
• Difficult to find best-of-breed AJAX development tools
• Cross-browser compatibility issues increase testing costs
• Not so predictable
• Loss of visibility to search engines
• Bookmark issues
• ……

14. Adobe Flex Showcases

15. A car locator used by Volkswagen UK demo

16. Yahoo! Maps demo

17. amCharts demo

19. Flex runtime architecture

20. Flex Application framework

21. Adobe: Powerful, Predictable and Productive
The Benefits
For Enterprises For Developers
• Flex is evolving quickly • Combines powerful
and has a predictable development tool(Flex)
track with a near-universal
• Allows easy access to browser plug-in(Flash)
business data and • Flex builder improves
rules thus works well developer productivity and
for large-scale RIAs collaboration with
• An rich, unified designers
controls library • Widespread adoption of
Flash speeds deployment

22. Adobe: New things
The Drawbacks
• Developers have to learn two new languages and an
extensive run-time framework
• Hard to find qualified developers
• Upgrade issues can defeat the deployment value
proposition
• Invisible to web analytical tools and search engine
• ……

23. Common Limitations
Limitation Ajax Adobe
Ease of enterprise Connecting to multiple data Integrating data sources and
integration sources and reliable messaging web services are less
requires developer customization intuitive less some
or integrating multiple frameworks commercial Ajax framework
Client-side Client frameworks have low Upgrade process is not
installation consumer penetration, and seamless, causing users to
experience JavaScript may be disabled abandon at high rates
Maturity of Fractured ecosystem retards Adobe has not created a
ecosystem growth and delays improved tool partner market for add-on
support controls, tools, analytics, or
vertical offerings
Support from Storyboard and wiring tools are Functional testing tool
extended not standard and are poorly support of Flex is limited, but
development tools integrated with professional design leading vendors will improve
tools on this front in 2007

24. Which to use
Use Ajax
• When time-to-market is critical and updates are frequent
• To build RIA capabilities into existing apps with small, frequent releases
• When you have existing, internal JavaScript and HTML expertise
Use Flex
• When you need to implement large-scale user productivity applications
• When you require sophisticated, interactive data visualization
• When video & audio playback or web camera / microphone capture is a
requirement
• When you require complex animation or bitmap manipulation
• When graphical design is critical to your business
Use Both
• When SEO and attractive experience is equally important
• When neither can satisfy your requirements

25. Interoperability

26. Google Finance

27. Great features
• Easy to see the stock’s value at different levels of details with zooming and
tooltips – all easy to do in Flex/Flash, but difficult in Ajax
• Landmarks in the stock’s performance to news about the company that may
told why the value is taking up or down
Communication between the two
• When you click a milestone on the graph or the news, it will highlight the
corresponding one in the other
• Scrolling the graph keeps the news in sync
A great example of each technology in it’s place
and working together for a great application.

28. If you want more...
Flex And AJAX, Friends or Foes?