JavaScript-Based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming

Topic: Programming Words: 1311 Pages: 4

Introduction

With JavaScript-based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming, application design has been made simple for developers. JavaScript-based AJAX comprises JavaScript and XML technologies used by application developers (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). MVC plays an integral role in developing an application because it helps build a user interface (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). It separates an application into three main logical components model, view, and controller. Functional programming is a program used to develop functions that are used to offer solutions to a problem. This paper will describe JavaScript-based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming, discuss their pros, compares them, and find scenarios where they are appropriate.

Description of the Development Approach

JavaScript-Based AJAX

JavaScript-based AJAX is an integration of JavaScript and XML technologies that application developers widely use. JavaScript is a web scripting language, while XML is a format used to retrieve any data from the server (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). AJAX is a technology that lowers the interactions between the server and the client. The approach is often accomplished by updating only a portion of a web page rather than the entire page. This means that an application developer can update parts of a web page without reloading the entire page. AJAX’s main role is to exchange small amounts of data without refreshing the page with a server (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). With AJAX, an application developer can create better, faster, and more user-friendly applications.

MVC

MVC is an application design model used for developing a contemporary user interface. The model provides an important layer for designing a program for mobile and web applications. Model, view, and controller are the three key logical components of an application (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). These modules are designed to handle particular aspects of application creation. A model is a piece of data that a program uses, while a view is a way of displaying goals. A controller aids in the updating of both models and views. MVC is a model that is highly testable, extensible, and pluggable, and it gives you complete control over HTML and URLs (Srai et al., 2017, p.4373). MVC responds to viewers’ requests for self-update and the controller’s guidance.

Functional Programming

Functional programming involves developing software by composing pure functions. It is also defined as a declarative programming paradigm where programs are established through sequential functions rather than statements (Aley, 2017, p.3). Each function occurs in an input value and returns a consistent output value without changing or being influenced by the program state. It is used when solutions to a problem are easily expressed in functions and have little physical meaning (Aley, 2017, p.3). Although object-based program models code after real-world objects, functional programming excels as a mathematical function where end values have no physical relationship.

Discuss the Pros and Cons of the Approaches

Table 1: Pros and Cons of the Approaches

Approaches	Pros	Cons
JavaScript-based AJAX	Better interactivity allows for easier and faster interaction between users and applications because pages are not reloaded for content to be displayed (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). Easier navigation: applications can be built to enable more straightforward navigation to users than when using conventional back and forward buttons (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). Form validation: this approach offers effective and instant form validation, unlike conventional form submission, where client-side validations are performed after validation (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13).	Increased security threat: the approach increases the size of the code, which further contributes to debugging and serious threats to security (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). Incompatibility: because the approach uses JavaScript, it cannot be accessed on a browser that lacks JavaScript support (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). Increase in the load on the server: the auto-update option increases the load on the server because the updates occur every few seconds.
MVC	MVC assists a developer in avoiding complexity by dividing an application into three components; model, view, and controller (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). It works effectively for applications supported by large teams of web designers and developers (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). Developers can work on it concurrently. It does not interfere with the work of individual developers (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). MVC support test-drove development (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). A developer can build an application with unit tests.	It is challenging to read, change, test, and reuse this approach. Multiple programmers are required to conduct parallel programming (Ratnayake, 2017, p.12). There is increased complexity and inefficiency of data.
Functional programming	It is easier to understand because pure functions do not change the state of the program (Banks and Porcello, 2017, p.36). It works as a mathematical concept where the output depends on the input. Debugging and testing are easier because it makes use of immutable values.	It is challenging to integrate pure functions with the rest of the application. It demands a large memory. The absence of a state prompts the need to create new objects every time an action is carried out (Aley, 2017, p.3). Maintenance is hard during the coding phase, especially when the project is large.

Comparison of JavaScript-Based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming

JavaScript-based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming are a set of application development techniques. These techniques perform different functions when used in developing an application. JavaScript-based AJAX’s primary function is to asynchronously update an application (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). It means that an application user does not need to reload a whole page when only a section of content needs to change. The main purpose of MVC is to separate an application into three logical components: model, view, and controller (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). It is normally used to divide a user interface that separates program logic into three parts. Functional programming’s main purpose is to develop functions to solve a specific problem (Aley, 2017, p.3). Some of the common uses of functional programming are financial programs, advanced mathematic functions, artificial intelligence design, and many more.

Application Domains

Table 2: Domains

Approaches	Application scenarios where appropriate
JavaScript-based AJAX	A scenario where a user wants to save or retrieve session values from the server (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13). A scenario where small amounts of information could be saved or retrieved from the server without posting back the whole page (Singhal and Jain, 2017, p.13).
MVC	It is appropriate where the client, data tier, and middleware run on physically separate platforms (Ratnayake, 2017, p.9). It is used where there is a need for a user to interact with a controller.
Functional Programming	It is appropriate when designing a mathematical function where the input determines the output (Aley, 2017, p.3).

Conclusion

JavaScript-based AJAX, MVC, and Functional Programming are approaches that play an integral role in developing a software application. The three approaches have distinct roles required to build an application. MVC is often used when a developer wants to create an interactive user interface, while functional programming is used to develop functions for solving problems. JavaScript-based AJAX helps to build an automatic reload to a page. In terms of simplicity when using, functional programming is easier to understand because it operates on a simple concept where the output depends on the input. Based on functionality, MVC is more important because it connects the user of the application and controller. Therefore, the three approaches are integral for a developer when creating an application.

References

Aley, R., (2017) Pro functional PHP programming: Application development strategies for performance optimization, concurrency, testability, and code brevity (S.Anglin, M.Moodie, M.Powers, Eds.). Apress.

Banks, A. and Porcello, E., (2017) Learning react functional web development with react and redux (1^st Edn.). ” O’Reilly Media, Inc.”.

Ratnayake, R.N.,(2017) WordPress web application development. Packt Publishing Ltd.

Singhal, N. and Jain, H., (2017) Automock automated mock backend generation for JavaScript-based applications. Global Journal of Computer Science and Technology.

Srai, A., Guerouate, F., Berbiche, N., & Lahsini, H. D. (2017) Applying MDA approach for spring MVC framework et al. International Journal of Applied Engineering Research, 12(14), 4372-4381.