March 18, 1999
XMLHttpRequest introduced in IE5
MicrosoftThe software giant behind Windows, Office, Azure, and Xbox — founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen. shipped XMLHttpRequestThe browser API for async HTTP requests — enabled AJAX and dynamic web apps before fetch. with Internet ExplorerMicrosoft's long-running web browser — bundled with Windows for decades before Edge replaced it. 5 on March 18, 1999 — enabling JavaScript to fetch data without reloading the page.
What it was for
XHR powered Gmail, Google Maps, and the AJAX revolution — `fetch()` and axios still solve the same problem. It turned browsers from document viewers into application runtimes that could talk to APIs asynchronously.
Companies
- Microsoft
Why it's here
XMLHttpRequestThe browser API for async HTTP requests — enabled AJAX and dynamic web apps before fetch. enabled the first wave of rich web applications.
Why it mattered
It made single-page interaction patterns possible before WebSockets.
What it solved
Every user action required a full page reload to get new server data.
Media
- ImageXMLHttpRequest
IETF HTTP Working Group (HTTPbis), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- Jesse James Garrett coins AJAXFebruary 18, 2005
- JavaScript name announced by Netscape and SunDecember 4, 1995
- jQuery 1.0 releasedAugust 26, 2006