Section I.7. Web API

I.7. Web API

Additional working groups in the W3C are tackling the jobs of writing recommendations for items of interest to DHTML developers and browser makers, but which lie outside established realms of document markup and object models. The Web API working groupa subset of the W3C Rich Web Clients Activityis essentially documenting key items that are implemented in mainstream browsers as de facto standards (albeit sometimes with extensions).

Two recommendationsthe Window Object and XMLHttpRequest Objectare fundamental building blocks of a great deal of today's DHTML activity. The window object, in particular, has been implemented since Day One of scriptable browsers. But because there is no existing markup that addresses the browser window (except perhaps the frame), its details are not a part of the DOM specification. These Web API efforts are plugging gaping standards holes for all DHTML developers.