Why Doesn't AJAX Trigger File Downloads, and What Are the Alternatives?

Downloading Files via AJAX

When attempting to initiate an AJAX download request through a button click, you may encounter an issue where the solution you're currently employing seems ineffective.

Your approach involves creating an XMLHttpRequest object and sending a GET request to a PHP script (download.php) that sets specific headers and reads data from a file. However, this method doesn't trigger the expected download prompt.

Solution

The crux of the issue lies in the fact that AJAX alone cannot directly initiate file downloads. To achieve this, you can leverage one of two methods:

Using window.location

This method is straightforward and doesn't require an AJAX request. Simply assign the download URL to window.location.

window.location = "download.php";

This will navigate to the download script and prompt the user to download the file without changing the current page.

Using the download attribute (HTML5)

If browser support is a concern, consider utilizing the download attribute (supported by Firefox and Chrome).

<a href="download.php" download>Download File</a>

The download attribute prompts the user to download the file without leaving the current page.

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