Integration of REST style and AJAX technologies to build Web applications; an example of framework for Location-Based-Services

In the last years two important architectural and technological solutions have been proposed for improving Web applications design. The REST architectural style has been defined to describe the WWW architecture and to guide its future evolution preserving the fundamental characteristics of scalability. At the same time AJAX and related technologies have changed the way many Web applications are designed and implemented enhancing responsiveness and pervasiveness. The integration of this two approaches seems promising, but several issues must be tackled. For testing possible solutions, we designed and implemented a framework for building mobile Web applications using the REST architecture and AJAX technologies: the MIRAJ framework. It was used to develop a basic set of Location-Based-Services for tourist guidance in an archaeological park located in Metaponto, Italy.