XMLHttpRequestObject

XMLHttpRequest Object

The XMLHttpRequest object is used to exchange data with a server in the background.

The XMLHttpRequest object is thedeveloper's dream, because you can:

  • Update a web page without reloading the page
  • Request data from a server after the page has loaded
  • Receive data from a server after the page has loaded
  • Send data to a server in the background

To learn more about the XMLHttpRequest object, please study ourXML DOM Tutorial。

XMLHttpRequest Example

When you type a character in the input field below, an XMLHttpRequest is sent to the server - returning name suggestions (from a file on the server):

Type a letter in the input box:

First letter


Suggestions:


Create an XMLHttpRequest Object

All modern browsers (IE7+, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, and Opera) have a built-in XMLHttpRequest object.

The syntax for creating an XMLHttpRequest object:

xmlhttp=new XMLHttpRequest();

In older versions of Internet Explorer (IE5 and IE6), use an ActiveX object:

xmlhttp=new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");

In the next chapter, we will use the XMLHttpRequest object to retrieve XML information from a server.

Other Extensions