Ajax response comparison with string - ajax

Question

In the below example my Ajax response is coming as 'success'[ type is string], and I am comparing the 'success' [type is string]. Then why does the control not enter into the if condition?
$.ajax({
url: "controller.php",
method: "POST",
data: { loginData : $("#loginForm").serialize()},
dataType: "text",
success: function (response) {
if(response=='success') // response coming as is 'success'
{
window.open('www.google.com');
}
},
error: function (request, status, error) {
/* error handling code*/
}
});

Answer 1

You are passing data as plain text. I recommend passing data as JSON because it's easier to catch the response from the server.
Also, you are using a variable that will contain more variables (the form inputs) in data: { loginData : $("#loginForm").serialize()}. I recommend you using .serializeArray() to send data as JSON variables that you can catch in the server script.
So:
$.ajax({
url: "controller.php",
method: "POST",
data: $("#loginForm").serializeArray(),
dataType: "json",
success: function (response) {
if(response["success"]) {
window.open('www.google.com');
}
},
error: function (request, status, error) {
// error handling code
}
});
And in controller.php:
<?php
if(isset($_POST['input'])) { // use your input's name instead
$response['success'] = true;
} else {
$response['success'] = false;
}
header('Content-Type: application/javascript');
echo json_encode($response);
?>
And also, with this last code snippet you can pass more than "success" (simply because you're using an array). Eg:
<?php
if(isset($_POST['input'])) { // use your input's name instead
$response['success'] = true;
$response['open'] = 'www.google.com';
} else {
$response['success'] = false;
}
header('Content-Type: application/javascript');
echo json_encode($response);
?>