AJAX crashes, line between servers and client scripts?

Question

I have been developing my first web application for about two months (I am a junior student who is mostly experienced with C and Python with some Java downloads). So far, my page works like a thin HTML layout (thin means a very simple layout, aka less than 50 lines of HTML) that manipulates AJAX a lot, mostly using jQuery. AJAX is generated through. PHP combined with SQL manipulation. This webapp will be used by a maximum of 6-10 clients (EDIT: users), and compatibility between browsers is just a bonus; IE7 seems to be the weakest link.

I'd like to know:

• What are the disadvantages of using such a large client approach and more browser downloads (note that I use bbq to work with the AJAX gap back / forward / reload / bookmark / history). In my good brevity, as a new programmer trying to develop effective methods, should I focus on AJAX principles?
• Is the future of web development really moving as much as a browser, as a platform, as I seem to perceive it? In my experience, it seems that the client side of scripting in JS is half the decent GUI toolkit, and AJAX supports it as an easy-to-use level of data access.
• Obviously server-side scripts will always take place. Where does the server side really shine? for example: a) the generation of XML that will be introduced through. JS and DOM b) the generation of HTML, which will be introduced directly (without manipulating the DOM) c) the creation of full pages that can be used in an iframe.

I am trying to achieve a balance, and it seems that everything I read so far has no balanced perspective and just pushes AJAX as the end and that’s it.

Answer 1

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