Which is Better for Tabbed Content: Ajax Control or Javascript? (Choosing between the two for an aspx page with

On my ASP.NET website with C# as the code behind, I've implemented tabbed content on one of the pages in two different ways. Now I'm trying to determine the best approach. One method involves using JavaScript to swap divs based on which tab is clicked, which works well despite some minor flickering issues. The other method utilizes the Ajax Control Toolkit and the Tabs control. While researching the benefits of Ajax, I also came across a few downsides associated with using tabs in conjunction with Ajax...

  • Search engines cannot crawl data within tabs beyond the first one due to limited access to Ajax.
  • Bookmarks cannot be created for individual tabs, causing users to lose saved information.
  • Ajax may not be accessible to screen readers or older browsers lacking JavaScript support, rendering content in other tabs invisible.
  • Long loading times could occur for content-heavy tabs on slower connections without any indication from Ajax, giving the appearance of a broken page.

Are these points accurate? I'm mostly unconcerned about search engine visibility since only site users can access the content.

Ultimately, what are the pros and cons of each implementation method? Ajax appears more streamlined, but how does it affect performance?

Answer №1

Responding to the points raised:

Search engines are unable to see data that is not in the first tab due to their inability to access Ajax technology.

Search engines only index what is visible on a page; if the data is not present, it will not be loaded. However, linking the URL used for AJAX results as a separate page through a regular <a> tag allows for indexing.

It is impossible to bookmark tabs, making it difficult for users to save desired information.

Even without using AJAX, bookmarking a tab requires bookmarking the page in a specific state. Using hash fragments can help achieve this functionality.

The content within other tabs is not accessible to screen readers or older browsers lacking robust JavaScript support due to the nature of Ajax.

Content loaded via script is inaccessible when scripts are disabled. However, libraries like jQuery abstract browser differences to ensure broad compatibility.

If a tab contains significant information, loading time may increase on slower connections, potentially giving the impression of a broken page due to lack of feedback from Ajax.

While loading large data sets may prolong HTTP requests, Ajax itself does not provide progress feedback. Implementing visual indicators like spinning placeholders can alleviate this issue.

AJAX minimizes initial page load times by fetching necessary data for the initial UI state. Subsequent requests, like any HTTP request, require time but significantly enhance user experience.

Answer №2

When it comes to search engines, they are unable to access data beyond the first tab due to limitations with Ajax technology.

The wording here may cause confusion. The data is stored on the server, making it inaccessible until the ajax request completes and populates the DOM. If the information in the first tab is crucial, consider incorporating it into the page layout.

It's not possible to bookmark tabs, meaning customers aren't able to save desired information.

Bookmarking and saving customer information are distinct concepts. However, you can introduce auto-save functionality similar to Gmail. Utilize setTimeout to trigger an ajax post back for saving drafts or bookmark preferences. Incorporate hashtags for navigating page structure in a single-page application.

Due to Ajax limitations, content within other tabs may remain hidden from users utilizing screen readers or outdated browsers lacking JavaScript support.

If preventing site scraping is a concern, jQuery offers robust browser support through $.ajax(). When working with older browsers like IE6 and IE7, jQuery Mobile effectively integrates $.ajax() for compatibility.

In scenarios where a tab contains substantial information, slow loading times on sluggish connections could create the impression of a broken page as Ajax doesn't provide visual feedback.

To address this issue, consider implementing loading bars:

$.ajaxStart(function() { /* show spinner gif */ } );

Answer №3

If you want to achieve a seamless ajax experience where tab clicks do not cause page flickering, jQuery.ajax is the way to go. With jQuery.ajax, you'll have greater control over your content transitions and there's ample community support available.

To address search engine optimization concerns, consider creating a site map with URLs corresponding to each tab for better indexing.

Best wishes, John

http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.ajax/

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