Pro JavaScript with MooTools

by Mark Obcena

Pro JavaScript with MooTools is unlike any other JavaScript book on the market today. While similar books focus on either JavaScript as a language of the browser or how to use JavaScript frameworks, Pro JavaScript with MooTools fills the gap between these topics and moves beyondexploring the advanced features of JavaScript and how the MooTools framework uses these features to further improve the language itself.The book itself takes a unique three-pronged approach. It first walks you through the advanced features of JavaScript and the MooTools framework, including native augmentation and type creation, a comprehensive discussion of JavaScript functions, object-oriented programming with native JavaScript and MooTools Classes, and the MooTools Class internals. You'll then learn all about Javascript in the the Elements classes and its internals, the MooTools Event system, Selector engines and MooTools Slick, Ajax and the Request Object, and animation and the Fx classes.The final section really sets the book apart from all others, as it discusses JavaScript outside the browsers. You'll take an in-depth look at CommonJS and MooTools, using MooTools outside the browser to build ORM, creating simple CommonJS applications via the MooTools Deck framework, and creating complex server-side applications using Raccoon. What you'll learn How MooTools augments natives and creates new types via the Type constructor and how it uses the advanced features of JavaScript functions to extend the language. All about object-oriented programming in native JavaScript and MooTools Class counterpartthe internals of the Class Type and other special object-oriented features that the framework adds to the language. How MooTools improves the DOM API via Element and the Events Types; and how Slick, the MooTools selector engine, uses advanced JavaScript features to create a fast and easy way to control the DOM. How MooTools wraps the native XMLHttpRequest to create a truly cross-browser implementation and how the MooTools Fx classes create smooth, powerful animations for the browser. About the CommonJS initiative and MooTools support for it and how MooTools can be used without the DOM to create an ORM that talks to a database outside the browser. About Deck and two simple, yet powerful, frameworks built atop MooTools that enable you to create server-side JavaScript applications. Who this book is forThe book is for beginner to advanced MooTools users who want to learn about the internals and deeper areas of the framework, and beginner to advanced users who want to learn about MooTools 2.0. JavaScript programmers will also benefit from learning about the more advanced features of the language and how MooTools uses them. Table of Contents JavaScript and MooTools Functions Objects Classes The Extras Types JavaScript in a Window Elements Selector Engines Events Request Animation JavaScript without Limits MooTools on Deck Resources "

430 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 2010

Reviews

[Roy Klein · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book's number one flaw is that it attempts to speak both to complete beginners and seasoned developers at the same time. Unfortunately, the author misses both marks completely, and creates a book that can easily confuse and frustrate beginners, and bore experienced developers . This is achieved by constantly throwing esoteric buzz words without explaining them, while digging unnecessarily deep into common knowledge terms, using a condescending tone suitable only for a beginners book. Even worse, more often than not, the glossing through is done for things that are rather relevant to the matter, and the digging into is done to things that are marginally relevant. After reading almost half the book I found that I learned so little relevant information that I could easily fit it into a tutorial blog. By the time you get to the "good stuff", you're tired out of your mind of endless chatter.

The book's second shortcoming is its completely uninspired examples. This is most evident when trying to convey concepts that require not just the "how" but the "why" as well (for example, currying. The example given made it seem like currying is a pointless exercise in over designing code).

This book is obviously a work of an inexperienced, good willed author. I have no problem with that. However, I do have a problem that I paid a sum fitting a professional book, and ended up paying for someone else's learning experience.