If you're a Java developer already versed in Ajax-style programming, and you want to take your knowledge to the next level, then this is the book for you. Practical Ajax Projects with Java Technology provides the ultimate learn-by-example experience, featuring seven complete example applications for you to learn from and then adapt for use in your own projects. During each application, the author will lead you through the planning, design, and implementation stages.

The book begins with a few quick chapters to recap Ajax basics and build up a complete development environment, and then moves on to the applications. The seven applications are diverse: an auto-complete application, an Ajax game, a two-way chat application, a webmail client, an RSS aggregator, an online calendaring/scheduling system, and a Flickr-style photo gallery application. Technologies covered include Apache, Ant, Ajax Tags, Struts, Prototype, DWR, Dojo, and more. Overall, this book will save you countless hours of development time, and help further your Java Ajax knowledge!

From the reviews:

"Java developers who have read the tutorials and want to pick apart the real code of complete Ajax enabled Java applications will find this book very helpful. … the book can be recommended to any Java developer who wants to learn Ajax by doing." (Alberto Bolchini, ACM Computing Reviews, Vol. 49 (5), May, 2008)

Frank W. Zammetti is a web architect specialist for a leading worldwide financial company by day, and a PocketPC and open-source developer by night. He is the founder and chief software architect of Omnytex Technologies, a PocketPC development house.He has over 12 years of "professional" experience in the information technology field, and over 12 more of "amateur" experience. He began his nearly life-long love of computers at age 7, when he became one of four students chosen to take part in his school district's pilot computer program. A year later, he was the only participant left! The first computer Frank owned was a Timex Sinclair 1000 in 1982, on which he wrote a program to look up movie times for all of Long Island (and without the 16k expansion module!). After that, he moved on to a Commodore 64 and spent about 4 years doing nothing but assembly programming (games mostly). He finally got his first IBM-compatible PC in 1987, and began learning the finer points of programming (as they existed at that time!).Frank has primarily developed web-based applications for about 8 years. Before that, he developed Windows-based client/server applications in a variety of languages. Frank holds numerous certifications including SCJP, MCSD, CNA, i-Net+, A+, CIW, MCP, and numerous BrainBench certifications. He is a contributor to a number of open source projects, including DataVision, Struts, PocketFrog, and Jakarta Commons. In addition, Frank has started two projects: Java Web Parts and The Struts Web Services Enablement Project. He also was one of the founding members of a project that created the first fully functioning Commodore 64 emulator for PocketPC devices (PocketHobbit).Frank has authored various articles on topics that range from integrating DataVision into web apps, to using Ajax in Struts-based applications. He is working on a new application framework specifically geared to creating next-generation web applications.