PHP not sending response text from AJAX call - php

Question

Can't work this one out for the life of me, hopefully I am not doing something stupid but why this is not working is not clear to me.
I have a basic HTML page with a JQuery script that sends the following AJAX call to a PHP script within the same directory.
JQuery:
// Sends the AJAX request
$.ajax({
type: "GET",
url: "process.php",
dataType: "json",
success: function(data) {
console.log(data);
}
});
PHP:
<!-- Ajax request handler -->
<?php
echo json_encode(array('message' => 'AJAX call received'));
exit();
?>
The AJAX call is being made successfully as after debugging it in the console it's status code is 200 and statusText 'ok'. However, I simply cannot get the returned JSON message to show up in the console as it should.
I have double checked the URL and that's fine.
This is the response I get in the console using Jeff Hatz's AJAX Debugger Chrome Extension:
Console Screenshot
Any ideas folks?

Answer 1

You need to remove this line from the top of your PHP:
<!-- Ajax request handler -->
As when you make a ajax call with dataType: 'json' it is not going to parse the response (at all) and then when you do a console.log(data); it is simply empty, no console log.
When you do remove that line, you should instead receive in your Network tab Response:
{"message":"AJAX call received"}
Which then in a console.log(data); you should see:
Object {message: "AJAX call received"}