Rich Internet Applications are the latest buzz in the software industry. A new generation of web applications has come of age with RIA technologies. With RIA, user interface has become richer than ever.
RIA has redefined user interactivity on web pages. In fact, the whole concept of a web page has been rewritten. With RIA, users request and get information on the same screen. No refresh, and no waiting! This is something very important for web applications that run e-stores. Customers get more freedom in browsing the store from the comfort of a single page, all the while adding products to the shopping cart. Moreover, user interfaces have become much more sophisticated with RIA technologies. Designers can use more graphics, animation, with sound effects in applications developed on RIA platform.
RIA products are so varied and sophisticated that choosing the most suitable one might turn out to be a bit confusing. AJAX and Flex are the two technologies primarily used for developing RIA products. For granting end users unlimited access, AJAX based web solutions are the best. AJAX based products also rank high in terms of reliability, scalability, availability, security and above all, maintenance. On the other hand, Flex is more suitable if the designer plans to use lots of animation in the application.
AJAX and Flex has given user interactivity a new meaning. In Web Spiders, Flex and AJAX are being variously used to create more sophisticated user interfaces in web applications. You can check out www.webspiders.com for more information regarding RIA.