The Prototype library, including script.aculo.us and a few others are a critical part of my development toolbox. These Javascript frameworks provide the foundation for creating interactive, usuable, fast and light-weight web-applications. Below are just a few examples of functions I use all the time.

1. Ajax.Request
   Take a look at the two functions below. Using the Ajax.Request method you can call a processing file, all that processing file needs to do is output some text who response is passed to the onComplete function, displayProcessIt() and from there, you can generate a complete page of data, hide/show lists elements, divs, whatever you need.

   function processIt(){
     var url = '/path/processing_file.aspx';
     var pars = 'param1='+param1Val;
     var myAjax = new Ajax.Request( url, { method: 'get', parameters: pars, onComplete: displayProcessIt });
   }
   function displayProcessIt(strData){
     var strResponse = strData.responseText
     // Do whatever you want with this data on the client
   }
   

   All I know is after I learned how to use this one piece of functionality, my development become that much easier. That’s not to say this technique is ground-breaking or new, I know I’ve written enough “kind-of-does-this” code over the years.

2. Element.show(), Element.hide(), Element.toggle()

   Yes, I know these are very self-explanatory, but these are three sweet gems. All you do is create a pointer to an element by it’s ID and there you go, hide, show, toggle, beautiful…

   function doSomething(e1){
     Element.toggle($(e1));
   }
   

   Using $ creates a reference to that object by id and toggle…well, it toggles the display of the referenced element.