# Use Ajax in a Page

Some Visualforce components are Ajax aware. With these components, you can add Ajax behaviors to a page without writing any JavaScript.

- **[Implement Partial Page Updates with Command Links and Buttons](/docs/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guide/pages-quick-start-ajax-partial-page-updates.md)**

  One of the most widely used Ajax behaviors is a partial page update, in which only a specific portion of a page updates following some user action, rather than a reload of the entire page. The simplest way to implement a partial page update is to use the `reRender` attribute on an `<apex:commandLink>` or `<apex:commandButton>` tag. When a user clicks the button or link, only the identified component and all of its child components refresh.

- **[Provide Status for Asynchronous Operations](/docs/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guide/pages-quick-start-ajax-async-status.md)**

  Ajax behaviors, such as partial page updates, are asynchronous events that occur in the background while a user continues to work. With the `<apex:actionStatus>` component, you can display status messages that alert the user of any background activity currently in progress.

- **[Apply Ajax Behavior to Events on Any Component](/docs/platform/salesforce-pages-developers-guide/guide/pages-quick-start-ajax-partial-page-update-any-component.md)**

  Implement a partial page update without using command links or buttons. For example, a user can hover over a component to trigger the update.