A step-by-step guide to submitting HTML forms via AJAX using jQuery without page reloads. Covers intercepting the submit event with event.preventDefault(), serializing form data with serialize() and serializeArray(), displaying server-side validation errors inline, handling network failures with .fail(), client-side validation before the request fires, file uploads using FormData with processData:false and contentType:false, and CSRF token integration. Also includes a comparison table of $.ajax(), $.post(), and the native Fetch API to help choose the right approach.
Table of contents
IntroductionKey TakeawaysWhat Is AJAX Form Submission and Why Use ItPrerequisitesStep 1: Building the Backend with PHPStep 2: Building the Frontend with HTML and CSSStep 3: Intercepting Form Submission with jQueryStep 4: Displaying Form Validation ErrorsStep 5: Handling Server Connection ErrorsStep 6: Adding Client-Side Validation Before SubmissionStep 7: Submitting Forms with File UploadsStep 8: Handling CSRF Tokens in AJAX Form SubmissionsComparing jQuery AJAX, $.post(), and the Fetch APIFAQsConclusionSort: