JSON(Java Script Object Notation) :{mode flashback }

By Ketan Khairnar • December 4, 2006

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In my last post I discussed some problems with xmls from the perspective of developer.Lets discuss what is JSON? It is JavaScript Object Notation a minimal,textual format-a subset of JavaScript Okay that was tehnical definition ;). This is going to be lengthy post; may be I will break in two parts.

I will discuss it from layman’s angle now.In web browsers applications are displayed as pages; as I move further or access something there..what happens? page submits and new page appears ?? right that was traditional submit and wait model called as web 1.0.
Days changed and people have found some new buzzword..ajax. i would say it is just a case of acting smart in specific scenarios ( Next blog topic hurray). What happens in AJAX? you won’t change your whole page in application for small trivial click; instead you will update only part of your application.Got it? Not yet hmm Imagine–I am on a date in some good Hotel(thats why I said imagine).I just need extra roti and I wont go to waiter carrying chair,table and myself on my legs and bring whole thing back to place I was before. Right? obviously instead I will place order for one roti and he delivers in my plate(less data exchange with server)
Summary:

Date venue: good web application in your browser
Extra Roti: Data->what you want from application?
Your plate: container/place holder of information on webpage(div,span,frame,iframe for developers)

That was AJAX in nutshell for developer/end user. For business managers thats all together different aspect(next post++)

Now in most of the applications we use xmls (remember extra roti) as data we retrieve from server.Lets say now what my program on server needs to understand? It says: "Okay, you need Data; i will give you that and I can embellish the plate also." So sever program sends data in HTML format.

Smart coders will send only the data from the server(Chef) and do all other things on client-browser.So you will agree this data format should be programmer friendly. Yes,XML is programmer friendly.But Think, I can use only JavaScript on the browser; only weapon for programmer.As said JSON in closer to JavaScript and naturally closer to developer also.So in the end I will put some points which will take us to next post.