Wrapping Up
In this chapter, you learned how to combine jQuery AJAX shorthand methods like .get( ), .post( ) and .load( ) with server-side scripting to add responsiveness to your HTML forms. Included in this chapter were methods for getting a response back from the server that you could process with jQuery to change page content or provide meaningful messages to your Web site visitors.
You were also introduced to the jQuery low-level AJAX methods that are used for more complex interactions with Web servers. Finally, you learned about JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and how jQuery's JSON methods can be used to retrieve data from services like Twitter or Flickr for use on the Web sites that you will build.
If the first taste of a jQuery widget has left you hungry for more, you're in luck! Chapter 5, "Applying jQuery Widgets," explores widgets of all shapes and sizes, including several from the jQuery UI project. In addition to widgets from the jQuery UI project, you'll also learn about using plugins that others have developed and how to roll (and publish) your own plugins to share with others. Read on, Macduff!