Top JavaScript and AJAX Libraries for DHTML

On this page you'll find all the JavaScript and AJAX libraries you need for your website and web application development, ranging from single-purpose scripts and script depositories to entire JavaScript application frameworks.

The Top JavaScript and AJAX Libraries list is compiled, rated and maintained by JavaScriptDeveloper.com.

In evaluating the libraries the following properties are take into account: the ease-of-use, documentation, suitability to the task, cross-browser compatibility, demos and examples, flexibility and extensibility.

Small libraries that are perfect for the task in one category are rated better than large libraries that do an average job in multiple categories. Likewise, there are many libraries that simplify AJAX development - but without offering additional benefits they cannot be awarded the top rating.

Look for top-quality libraries rated or .

• AFLAX
  AFLAX combines JavaScript and Flash to allow you to build AJAX applications with the rich set of vector-drawing tools.
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• AHAH (Asychronous HTML and HTTP)
  The purpose of AHAH is to simplify AJAX development. Advantages:
  - The lack of custom XML schemas dramatically reduces design time
  - AHAH can trivially reuse existing HTML pages, avoiding the need for a custom web service
  - All data transport is done via browser-friendly HTML, easing debugging and testing
  - The HTML is designed to be directly embedded in the page's DOM, eliminating the need for parsing
  - As HTML, designers can format it using CSS, rather than programmers having to do XSLT transforms
  - Processing is all done on the server, so the client-side programming is essentially nil (moving opaque bits)
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  No demo, but there are code snippets provided with the library.
  
• AJAX Toolbox
  AJAX Toolbox simplifies the XMLHttpRequest and provides a wrapper for the onreadystate handler and status codes. It also provides request monitoring with accurate "busy" indicators.
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• Ajax.NET Professional
  Ajax.NET Professional works with the .Net Framework. The main library page offers 9 examples but is skimpy on the documentation.
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• AjaxAC
  AjaxAC is PHP-based library for AJAX applications - which can be anything from a small part of form to the entire AJAX-powered website.
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• Ajaxcaller
  AjaxCaller is a thin XMLHttpRequest wrapper. Its focus is on ease-of-use and full HTTP method support.
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• AJAXGear Toolkit
  AXAJGear Toolkit is a toolkit to enable AJAX on your web application.
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• AjaxTK (Kabuki AJAX Toolkit)
  AjaxTK (Kabuki ) is an object-oriented library for JavaScript to simplify AJAX development.
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• ASP.net AJAX
  A framework for building a more efficient, more interactive and personalized web applications compatible with all popular browsers.
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• Bajax
  Bajax is a tiny JavaScript library to make it possible to use AJAX on your pages with simple commands.
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  Demo unavailable.
  
• Behaviour
  Bahaviour allows you to use CSS to specify elements and add JavaScript events to them. The idea is to create unobtrusive code with less
• tags.
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• Cross-Browser X library
  The X library is not a framework, but a collection of JavaScript and DHTML code snippets.
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• DHTML Goodies.com
  Here you will find a whole bunch of DHTML and AJAX widgets and other scripts.
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• DHTML Popup Library
  This library gives you only tooltips/popups. Great for its purpose, it also features the best calendar control I've seen.
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• dojo - the Javascript toolkit
  Open Source Javascript toolkit with charting, vector drawing and widgets. The version number (0.4) indicates that the library is still some way from being completed.
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• DOM-Drag
  DOM-Drag is a lightweight, easy to use, dragging API for modern DHTML browsers. Its unconventional design however limits its flexibility.
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• dp.SyntaxHighlighter
  Neat library for source code syntax highlighting.
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• Dynamic Drive
  Dynamic Drive is the repository of well-organized scripts.
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• DynAPI
  DynAPI is a common-purpose JavaScript framework for multiple browsers.
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• FACE: Faruk's Animated CSS Enhancements
  FACE gives you the JavaScript solution for adding Flash-like abilities to your web pages. Still in Beta version.
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• Free JavaScripts and HTML code
  C Point's (our own!) selection of ready-to-use cross-browser scripts by category. Highlights: animation, JavaScript calculators, JavaScript games and more.
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  Each scripts includes the demo.
  
• Javascript framebuffer graphics library
  JSFBGL (Javascript FrameBuffer Graphics Library) looks at a web page as a table with each cell representing a pixel. Functions like plot() and drawLine() are used to draw to the canvas.
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• JavaScript Libraries by HowToCreate.co.uk
  The repository of useful JavaScript widgets and other scripts. Small selection, but of good quality and well-organized.
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• Javascript Toolbox
  JavaScript Toolbox is the collection of libraries: data validation, DHTML tree control, table sorting, and more.
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• JavaScript.com
  This site is a large code depository. You can find many useful scripts here, but be prepared to spend time browsing through lots of junk.
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• JavaScripts.com
  This large depository of JavaScript code belongs to the same company as JavaScript.com (Jupiter corporation), but offers bigger selection and better organization. Scripts vary widely in quality.
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• jQuery - Write Less, Do More
  jQuery attempts to halve the amount of code you write compared to the traditional DOM JavaScript.
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• JSL :: JavaScript Standard Library
  JSL is an attempt to avoid work-arounds every new JavaScript library introduces and provide the standard set of functions that work on all browsers.
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• JSPkg
  Jspkg is a package loader for Javascript, based on pluggable loaders for locating and loading scripts into a client-side Javascript application. It is designed to work best with unobtrusive Javascript libraries, but doesn’t impose any methodology or design on its users.
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• Lazy Internet and Browser
  LINB (Lazy Internet & Browser) gives you the framework for creating platform-independent and language-independent code. jsLINB is the JavaScript framework for the client-side of LINB.
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• Liberty - JavaScript basic library
  This library needs work - it really is rather basic.
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• MochiKit
  MochiKit is a neat common-purpose JavaScript library. As the main benefit the authors claim that it "makes JavaScript suck less". Nevertheless, the library is worth looking at.
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• Moo.FX
  Moo.FX es an extension of MooTools giving you the cross-browser JavaScript effects library.
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• MooTools
  MooTools is the compact cross-browser JavaScript framework. It makes it possible to extend HTML elements with your own extensions.
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• Nifty Corners: rounded corners without images
  This library gives you JavaScript-based solution to providing rounded corners to your images and div-s. Nifty!
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  Several examples are provided on the home page.
  
• OverLib
  OverLib is a tiny JavaScript library that provides you with tooltips.
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• PengoWorks qForms JavaScript API
  This library makes working with forms a breeze. Fast, well-documented and with plenty of examples.
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• Plex
  Plex is the modular AJAX framework. It is well-written and documented, albeit slow to load.
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• PlotKit
  PlotKit is an extension of the MochiKit, which gives you charting and graph plotting.
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• Prototype
  Prototype is the class-driven JavaScript and AJAX framework. Ruby on Rails and Script.aculo.us have been built on Prototype.
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• qooxdoo
  qooxdoo is a first-class JavaScript GUI framework. It gives you the fast way to add form-processing, tooltips, menu and toolbar, tabs, tree and list controls, date picker, and window management.
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• Rico
  Rico simplifies Ajax through an easy way to register its request handlers. Also featuring: drag and drop and the cinematic effects library with smooth sliding and scaling.
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• Ruby on Rails
  Use Ruby + database + a web server, and you are all-set to go live. Ruby on Rails is the best open-source platform for designing database-driven web applications.
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• SACK (Simple AJAX Code-Kit)
  SACK is an AJAX library that enhances your webpages. The author, Gregory Wild-Smith, does not offer much in terms of demos and documentation.
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• SAJAX
  SAJAX simplifies AJAX development.
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• sardalya
  sardalya gives you a nice and simple common-purpose cross-browser interface.
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• Sarissa
  Sarisa is an object-based DHTML library for native XML APIs.
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• script.aculo.us
  This library features some really nice special effects, as well as the animation framework, drag and drop, AJAX controls, autocompleter and DOM utilities.
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• Smooth SlideShow Library
  JonDesign's Smooth SlideShow Library allows you to create cross-fading smooth-running slideshows.
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• Spry Framework for AJAX
  The Spry Framework for AJAX is still in pre-release but offer some real gems: an XML-based photo gallery, XML-based data table, RSS reader, form validation and special effects.
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• Tabtastic
  Tabtastic is a small and simple library that allows you to implementation tabs on your web pages. It supports multiple and nested tab sets.
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• Taconite
  Taconite focuses on potentially large and tedious tasks of dynamically updating web pages and simplifies them as much as possible.
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• The Solvent
  The Solvent is a modular cross-browser JavaScript library for writing AJAX applications. It needs more work to be truly useful.
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• ThyApi
  ThyAPI is a robust JavaScript/ AJAX GUI library.
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• Tibet
  Tibet provides a comprehensive JavaScript/XML framework.
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• Toxic
  Toxic is an AJAX toolkit, or framework, for creating rich web applications.
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• TurboWidgets
  TurboWidgets extend the Dojo toolkit with a set of professional-looking JavaScript controls for rich web applications. The highlights include the flexible grid, sliders (excellent!) window splitter, buttons and the tree control.
  

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• TwinHelix
  TwinHelix offers several JavaScript libraries - some of the best-performing, useful and spectacular code I have ever seen: scrollers, tooltips, photo morphing, dragging and resizing, and more.
  It also features a cool and versatile DHTML menu.
  As a matter of fact, JavaScript Editor's Visual Menu Designer has been built from scratch to allow you to create and maintain a TwinHelix menu visually through a point-and-click interface.
  

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  The entire website is a JavaScript showcase!
  
• UIZE JavaScript API
  UIZE is a set of JavaScript widgets for designing user interfaces: button, sorted table, tree, palette, slide show, slider, marquee, color picker, and more.
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  You can navigate to a large number of examples from the home page. Make sure you see the ThumbZoom example - very cool!
  
• Walter Zorn
  Here you will find JavaScript libraries for vector drawing, drag-and-drop, tooltips, and image rotating.
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  Demo 1 Demo 2 Demo 3
  
• WMS Javascript Library
  Use this library in combination with the Web Map Server (WMS) to obtain the static image of the requested map.
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• WMS Javascript Library
  Use this library in combination with the Web Map Server (WMS) to obtain the static image of the requested map.
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• Yahoo! Design Pattern Library
  Yahoo! Design Pattern Library aims to provide you with an optimal solution to a common problem within a specific context.
  Recent patterns include transitions: animate, expand, dim, expand, fade, etc.
  

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• X
  X is a massive JavaScript library with many functions.
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• Zapatec AJAX Suite
  Zapatec Suite is a modular, professionally designed set of components for AJAX development, including: windows, grid, drag and drop, effects, transport, tree, menu, calendar, form, and more.
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  Several demos for each component are available.
  
• Zebda
  Zebda extends the Prototype library with extra functionality (client-side validation) and the clean separation of structure, presentation and behavior.
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• Zephyr
  Zephyr gives PHP developers an easy and flexible way to support AJAX. is an ajax based framework for php5 developers. It separates the logic layer from the presentation layer.
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• Zimbra
  Zimbra is open source server and client software for messaging and collaboration. It features easy setup integration.
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