What is this book about? JavaScript is the language of the Web. Used for programming all major browsers, JavaScript gives you the ability to enhance your web site by creating interactive, dynamic, and personalized pages. Our focus in this book is on client-side scripting, but JavaScript is also hugely popular as a scripting language in server-side environments, a subject that we cover in later chapters.
What does this book cover?
Beginning JavaScript assumes no prior knowledge of programming languages, but will teach you all the fundamental concepts that you need as you progress. After covering the core JavaScript language, you'll move on to learn about more advanced techniques, including Dynamic HTML, using cookies, debugging techniques, and server-side scripting with ASP. By the end of this book, you will have mastered the art of using JavaScript to create dynamic and professional-looking web pages.
Here are a few of the things you'll learn in this
Fundamental programming concepts Comprehensive practical tutorial in JavaScript Cross-browser scripting, including Netscape 6 Cookie creation and use Plug-ins and ActiveX controls Dynamic HTML Scripting the W3C DOM Server-side JavaScript with ASP Who is this book for?
This book is for anyone who wants to learn JavaScript. You will need a very basic knowledge of HTML, but no prior programming experience is necessary. Whether you want to pick up some programming skills, or want to find out how to transfer your existing programming knowledge to the Web, then this book is for you. All you need is a text editor (like Notepad) and a browser, and you're ready to go!
The 4th edition feels very dated. Once you reach the point of accepting user data, the methods become a constant reminder of how much further along we are in web coding practices than we were in 2008. Plus the constant use of the HTML4 doctype dates this edition. I reached a point where I knew things were not good practice to follow and stopped reading. HTML in your JS feels dirty.
5th edition releases in March 2015. Hopefully this new edition will introduce current best practices.
I loved the format of this book - each example program is explained line by line (or block by block when that makes more sense). And the authors do this throughout the book! So when you get to later chapters, it's not assumed that you already know what's going on. Things are still explained in a clear, concise yet detailed, manner.
I decided to read this book, because I was looking for Javascript for starters, however I wasn't expecting a text for people with no exposure at all to software development. Despite of many boring chapters, explaining what programming actually is, I found there plenty of information that I was looking for. To summarize, it is a good introductory text to Javascript about both programming language and web development.
I always keep this book on my bookshelf for reference. I have never been a JavaScript fan but we all have to do it to get jobs done and this book has helped me out a lot over the years.