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I have a web app where I need to change a drop down list dynamically depending on another drop down list.
I have two options:
Get all the data beforehand with PHP and “manage” it later with Javascript.
Or get the data the user wants through AJAX.
The thing is, that the page loads with all the data by default and the user can later select a sub category to narrow the drop downs.
Which of the two options are better (faster, less resource intensive)?
If there is a considerable number of possible select options, I would use AJAX to get them dynamically. If you only have a very small set of select options, it would be worth considering embedding them in the page. Embedding in the page means no latency, and a snappier interface.
However, as stated previously, dynamic retrievals are very useful if you have a large set of options, or if the options are subject to changing dynamically.
As with any ajax request, remember to display some form of visual feedback while the request is underway.