What does AJAX stand for in web development?

AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. This term describes a set of web development techniques that enable a web application to send and receive data asynchronously from a server without interfering with the display and behavior of the existing page.

The emphasis on "asynchronous" means that a web page can communicate with the server in the background, allowing updates to be made to parts of the page without requiring a full reload. "JavaScript" is the programming language used to handle this interaction, and "XML" refers to the format in which data can be structured and exchanged. While AJAX technology is not limited to XML (it can also work with JSON and other data formats), the name reflects its origins in using XML for data interchange.

Understanding these components is crucial for modern web development as they allow for creating responsive and efficient web applications, enhancing user experience by enabling dynamic content loading.