JavaScript is essential for creating modern, interactive Web sites. But, unlike HTML and CSS, JavaScript is a true programming language with complex rules that are challenging for most Web designers to learn. In JavaScript: The Missing Manual, bestselling author David McFarland teaches you how to use JavaScript in sophisticated ways -- even if you have little or no programming experience. In a clear, entertaining way, the book starts out by teaching you how to build a basic JavaScript program. Then, once you've mastered the structure and terminology, you'll learn how to use advanced JavaScript tools to add useful interactivity to your sites quickly and painlessly, rather than scripting everything from scratch. To jump-start your progress, the book offers several "living examples" -- step-by-step tutorials for building Web site components with JavaScript using raw materials, such as graphics and half-completed Web pages, that you can download from the book's companion Web site. In this book, you will learn: How to get started. The book introduces the building blocks of JavaScript, and general tips on computer programming. Learn to add scripts to a Web page; store and manipulate information; communicate with the browser window; respond to events like mouse clicks and form submissions; and identify and modify HTML. How to build Web Page Features. McFarland provides real-world examples of JavaScript in action. Learn to create pop-up navigation bars, enhance HTML tables, build an interactive photo gallery, and make Web forms more usable. Create interesting user interfaces with tabbed panels, accordion panels and pop-up dialog boxes. How to troubleshoot and debug. The book will teach you howto avoid the ten most common errors new programmers make, and how to find and fix bugs. How to communicate with the Web server. In addition to basic JavaScript, this manual covers Ajax, the approach that made JavaScript glamorous. Learn to use JavaScript to communicate with a server so that your Web pages can receive information without having to reload.
If you want to put JavaScript to work right away without getting tangled up in code, JavaScript: The Missing Manual is the best book available.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Are you still writing your own javascript libraries?:
I haven't completed this book yet, so I will come back and update this review once I have, but I wanted to get something out there to convince others who might be on the fence about buying this book. First off, it's more of a jQuery book than it is a Javascript book. Sure jQuery is a library that runs on top of Javascript, but it's important to make that distinction. The first 100 pages or so of the book get you quickly up to speed with Javascript statements, variables, string arrays, functions, regular... more info
Good book about jQuery:
Well written book. Many samples. Covers a lot of aspects of building responsive web sites with jQuery. Not an advanced book about JavaScript.
Great introduction to Javascript:
As Brett mentioned, this book integrates jQuery (a popular javascript library) into examples. More than half of the book teaches you how to use the jQuery library to enhance user experiences. It won't teach you how to write XMLHTTPRequest from scrach. Instead, the book teaches you how to make Ajax requests with jQuery, which greatly simplifies the problem (1~10 lines of code). The book exposes you to real-world problems and the practical way of solving them (that is using javascript libraries such as... more info
Another GEM by The Missing Manual!!!:
I've been saying for years that The Missing Manual line of books is one of the best publishing lines and 'JavaScript: The Missing Manual' keeps the tradition going. The thing that jumps out at me instantly is how RELEVANT this book is the Web 2.0 world. With heavy emphasis on AJAX, JQuery, interacting with Web 2.0 sites like Google Maps and the like, this book is fantastic for any and all JavaScript developers new and old. Packed with 500+ pages of material, the chapter listing is as follows: 01. Intro... more info
