The term "Web 2.0" is now almost ubiquitous. However, even though it has made its way into various job postings and news reports, very few people seem to understand what it actually means. Answering this question and shedding light on the respective backgrounds is the goal of the first part of this book. Additionally, an insight into the relevant technologies is provided. Alongside Ajax, the fundamentals of RSS and web services are also practically introduced, so that the inexperienced reader will have a basic understanding of the relevant aspects of today's internet landscape after this reading.