What do you call DHTML these days?

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+14 Q:

What do you call DHTML these days?

So lately I've been catching a lot of crap from a junior developer whenever I use the term "dHTML". I know the term is dated, but it's descriptive of what the task is: changing rendered markup on the client. I cringe whenever i see the term Ajax applied to client side animation or form validation where no asynchronous request is being made. Web 2.0 is used a lot as well, but the term can be applied to everything from a business model to a visual style.

What term do you use to describe the combination of client-side scripting and css effects that may or may not be accompanied by asynchronous server requests?

+3 A:

I call it jQuery. :)

Terry Donaghe 2009-02-23 21:36:54

HA, that's what I was thinking.

Cadoo 2009-02-23 21:37:44

I guess that a joke and it prolly the first thing that came to my mind but jQuery is a framework, lets not confuse people.

Gary Willoughby 2009-02-24 16:00:03

+1 A:

DHTML still fits in and has in my peer groups. They could be Ajax based UI which is still DHTML with Ajax but in the end, call it what it is. /shrug

Or Javascript

Pat 2009-02-23 21:38:07

-1. Pick one thats whole point of this question, DHTML or Javascript.

AnthonyWJones 2009-02-23 21:46:31

+7 A:

I just call it JavaScript.

jacobangel 2009-02-23 21:38:16

+4 A:

I call it client-side behavior.

I agree with you too: "AJAX" is reserved for behavior that calls back to the server.

bigmattyh 2009-02-23 21:38:22

Or client side scripting; CSS :p

Marius 2009-02-23 22:06:00

What does Ajax have to do with client side scripting or CSS? You use a client side scripting language to implement an Ajax query.

Gary Willoughby 2009-02-24 16:10:46

javascript ?

TJB 2009-02-23 21:38:25

+3 A:

Ajax. I know it's most commonly used with a server-side request, but just because it is only client side doesn't mean it isn't still called Ajax.

Ajax:

...Despite the name, the use of JavaScript and XML is not actually required, nor do the requests need to be asynchronous.

ryeguy 2009-02-23 21:38:33

+1, don't know who would downvote this - it's the most correct definition of all of them. XHttpRequest would be what they're thinking...

John Rasch 2009-02-23 21:40:59

+1 from me too... dunno why people keep voting this one down, as AJAX is the commonly accepted name for DHTML now.

R. Bemrose 2009-02-23 21:43:00

The reason is that just because all the other kids are shooting heroin into their forelobes doesn't mean we want to too.

chaos 2009-02-23 21:45:13

I disagree. Although AJAX was de-acronymed to "Ajax" to reflect other transport mediums, scripting platforms and the use of synchronous requests, it still refers to the loading of data from the server in the background sans a page refresh.

Sasha Sklar 2009-02-23 21:48:20

Wow I guess this is pretty controversial.. +6/-4 heh

ryeguy 2009-02-23 21:49:32

It's all about the A(synchronous). If there's no server callback, it's just Javascript.

bigmattyh 2009-02-23 21:51:38

@bigmatty: Exactly.

Beska 2009-02-23 21:59:26

+1. I use the term "JavaScript" to describe the situation above, but that's just a formality and for my own sake of being as accurate as possible. To anyone else not in the computing field, I'll say Ajax because that is more readily understood. And I CERTAINLY wouldn't dock anyone for saying DHTML.

Mike 2009-02-23 22:00:17

@zodoz: you're giving +1 to an answer despite the fact that it's not accurate, because it's "more readily understood" to people "not in the computing field"? That strikes me as odd.

Beska 2009-02-23 22:03:49

@Beska: No, I gave +1 because I believe it to be the right answer. I was stating that I believe it to be correct in both forms, though you should realize who you are talking to and how well they understand the concepts involved.

Mike 2009-02-23 22:12:18

@zodoz: I agree with the sentiment that you should talk to the understanding level of the listener, but I don't see how using an inaccurate descriptor, just because they're more familiar with it, helps.

Beska 2009-02-23 22:21:03

Sasha Sklar is right!

Gary Willoughby 2009-02-24 16:15:15

@zodoz, using a wrong term to describe something even to a non technical person is still wrong. You should use the right terms from the start. Who know's who he has told and perpetuated this mistake, and so it goes on....

Gary Willoughby 2009-02-24 16:18:27

I thought maybe RIA, since I think "rich" fits, but thinking about the actual definition that probably isn't correct. In fact, RIA might be less accurate than Ajax.

Tina Orooji 2009-02-23 21:38:49

+2 A:

Javascript or DHMTL.

If he keeps bitching at you, point all his actual flaws in language; like AJAX for javascript.

Tom Ritter 2009-02-23 21:39:30

Why was this modded down?

dysfunctor 2009-02-23 21:49:30

Because of the horrible swear word "bitching", I guess. I believe we have some extremely prude people here...

Tomalak 2009-02-23 22:07:14

"Dynamic web [content|pages|stuff]" is accurate, if not precise. I can see a case being made that "dHTML" is too specific.

chaos 2009-02-23 21:39:43

+4 A:

Just call it a combination of client-side scripting and css effects that may or may not involve asynchronous server requests.

Gumbo 2009-02-23 21:40:34

Right, good old ACOCSSACETMOMNIASR.

chaos 2009-02-23 21:49:07

ACOCSSACETMOMNIASR deserves +1.

Michael Damatov 2009-02-24 21:38:34

+21 A:

DOM Scripting/Manipulation

Russ Cam 2009-02-23 21:41:14

Marked this as the answer because it seems like the most appropriate replacement. Historically though, dHTML also encompassed things like hover effects implemented w/ CSS.

Sasha Sklar 2009-02-23 22:06:17

Does DOM Scripting encompass requests to the server?

John Rasch 2009-02-23 22:09:34

@John Rasch: Not IMAO. I downvoted this answer.

chaos 2009-02-23 22:12:30

@John Rasch: I changed involved to "accompanied by" to clarify that point.

Sasha Sklar 2009-02-23 22:18:27

@John Rasch: Would you say that DHTML encompasses requests to the server? IMHO, we're more into describing AJAX there

Russ Cam 2009-02-23 22:22:11

Perhaps the true answer is DHTML + AJAX. :)

chaos 2009-02-24 03:56:51

@chaos - Which has now evolved into DOM Scripting and AJAX :)

Russ Cam 2009-02-24 08:42:41

+3 A:

I would say you're trying to solve the wrong problem. The problem is the snotty-junior's attitude, not your language.

dysfunctor 2009-02-23 21:42:33

+22 A:

It's DHTML.

It's not AJAX; there is no necessity to do stuff asynchronously or with XML to manipulate the DOM.
It's not HTML; that's static markup.
It's not Javascript; Javascript is a language that doesn't necessarily have to have anything to do with HTML.
It's not JQuery; that's a framework and whole different ball of wax.

AnthonyWJones 2009-02-23 21:48:56

Point 2: Who says HTML is defined as static? Point 3: It *is* Javascript, actually, since, you know, you're using Javascript to do it.

bigmattyh 2009-02-23 21:54:40

@bigmattyh: And walking is called "feet" now, because, you know, you use feet to do it. Sure.

Tomalak 2009-02-23 21:56:07

@bigmattyh: HTML is declartive, there are no features in HTML itself which allow it dynmically morph once loaded it'll just sit there until acted upon by an exterior force.

AnthonyWJones 2009-02-23 21:57:52

@bigmattyh: 1) A browser DOM may be manipulated by other languages. 2) Javascript may be hosted by processes other than a browser.

AnthonyWJones 2009-02-23 21:59:21

@Rob; thanks for you generous donation of punctuation ;)

AnthonyWJones 2009-02-23 22:04:28

What he's talking about comprises both HTML and Javascript. It "isn't" any of those things, although I agree that it shouldn't be called simply HTML or Javascript either. I realize now that that's what you're intending to say, but your answer isn't articulated clearly.

bigmattyh 2009-02-23 22:07:19

@Anthony - I have a feeling that you meant to put DHTML :)

Russ Cam 2009-09-25 14:17:03

@Anthony - Is that DTHML or DHTML?

Comptrol 2010-02-09 11:58:47

@Comptrol: its DHTML, edited accordingly.

AnthonyWJones 2010-02-09 12:34:20

+3 A:

I'd go with DOM Scripting.

Andy Hume 2009-02-23 21:55:28

I think what you call it depends on the nature of the conversation. If the conversation is behavior oriented (i.e. I want this area to change based on x, or these to be drag gable) than a solution agnostic term like dynamic is probably best. If you are speaking about a specific solution it would be best to use the language/technology specific terminology for clarity.

N8g 2009-02-23 22:10:06

+3 A:

Call it dHTML or DOM scripting. And I agree: your problem is less with the language and more with the junior developer. If you want to solve the real problem you might ask him what he calls it, and deal with it from there.

EllaJo 2009-02-23 22:27:10

+1 A:

My 0.02 for DHTML being a valid, albeit currently unfashionable term.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DHTML - Dynamic HTML
- just because most javascript animation sucked and JQuery didn't exist at the time that term was coined, doesn't make it any less valid.

Some people even did Ajax before there was a name for it...

What you call it doesn't really matter, unless you're in the marketing department.
"call it yo mama if you want to"

seanb 2009-02-23 22:49:40

ansaurus

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What do you call DHTML these days?

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