AJAX Brings Web 2.0 to Web Services, Says Research Firm Evans Data

JavaScriptSearch
Wednesday, July 26, 2006; 01:50 AM

According to Evans Data Corp's latest Web Services Development Survey, Web Services with Web 2.0 interfaces are surging. Evans Data attributed this to the rising use of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX), a key technology component of the Web 2.0 phenomenon.

Close to half of developers surveyed said they were already working with AJAX or plan to do so in the coming year. REST (Representational State Transfer) use is rising as well. The REST approach allows for rich web-based interfaces that can use XML or JSON. The Evans Data survey found a 37% increase in respondents implementing or considering REST, with one out of four surveyed saying that they are considering REST-Based Web Services as a simpler alternative to SOAP-based services.

Reuse is rising, reported Evans Data. Three out of ten survey respondents are saying the ability to reuse the service is the greatest cost advantage to Web Services. The number of respondents sharing Web Services with two or more business units is up 20% since the last survey.

The study showed that the adoption of the Java platform is poised for a significant increase. Three out of four companies expect to be working with the Java Platform by next year, a 12% jump from current levels. Sun Microsystems, the producer of the Java platform, has  already started several JavaScript and AJAX related projects.

"Consistent with the increasing adoption of web services we are also seeing the same for AJAX," stated John Andrews, President of Evans Data. "This framework, now more than ever, is allowing developers the means to make web-based applications function more like desktop ones."

Andrews will be speaking at AJAX World Conference and Expo October 3-5 in San Jose.