BUY THIS BOOK
Print Book $29.99
Safari Books Online
Print Book £20.99
Looking to Reprint this content?
By Shelley Powers
First Edition
October 2006
Pages: 351
ISBN 10: 0-596-52746-2 |
ISBN 13: 9780596527464
(Average of 3 Customer Reviews)
Using the latest examples from modern browser development practices, Learning JavaScript teaches you how to integrate the language with the browser environment, and how to practice proper coding techniques for standards-compliant web sites. By the end of the book, you'll be able to use all of the JavaScript language and many of the object models provided by web browsers, and you'll even be able to create a basic Ajax application.
Full Description
As web browsers have become more capable and standards compliant, JavaScript has grown in prominence. JavaScript lets designers add sparkle and life to web pages, while more complex JavaScript has led to the rise of Ajax -- the latest rage in web development that allows developers to create powerful and more responsive applications in the browser window.
Post-purchase benefits:
Learning JavaScript introduces this powerful scripting language to web designers and developers in easy-to-understand terms. Using the latest examples from modern browser development practices, this book teaches you how to integrate the language with the browser environment, and how to practice proper coding techniques for standards-compliant web sites. By the end of the book, you'll be able to use all of the JavaScript language and many of the object models provided by web browsers, and you'll even be able to create a basic Ajax application.
Register your book | Submit Errata | Examples | Websites
Browse within this book
Cover | Table of Contents | Index | Colophon
Book details
First Edition: October 2006
ISBN: 0-596-52746-2
Pages: 351
Average Customer Reviews: (Based on 3 Reviews)
Featured customer reviews
WAY too many errors, October 24 2007
Rating:
Submitted by
Bill White
[Respond | View]
I am only 35 pages into the book and I am just stunned by the number of errors. I have bought a number of programming books over the past year, and I have learned that - as a rule - it's best to stick with certain publishers. O'Reilly has been one of the very few publishers whose books I buy. So far this particular book has been "ok", and I will continue reading it. Still, I am very disappointed that O'Reilly has allowed something this error-riddled to make it to print.
Flawed but useful., January 08 2007
Rating:
Submitted by Anonymous Reader [Respond | View]
There are so many errors in this book that I started thinking it was a strategic decision on the part of the author, to force the reader into *learning* Javascript properly. Some of the errors are very basic, school-kid stuff. One of the answers to excercise 2.4, which purports to convert into an octal value, actually has the function parseInt() being passed a base of 2, for octal. This is what happens when books are rushed to print.
On the whole, though, I think the book is a very good idea. Javascript is suited to a slim volume. As an intermittent user of Javascript, I need a compact reference for refamiliarising myself with it's idiosyncracies. This book seems to fit that requirement. If only it had been proof read a little more before hitting the shelves.
Filled with real world advice and wisdom., January 04 2007
Rating:
Submitted by Anonymous Reader [Respond | View]
Learning Javascript gives a very thorough walk-through of the Javascript language. It doesn't just teach you how to use the language features that are the most convenient or popular. Powerful and advanced concepts (such as recursion and closures) are also covered in order to expose you to the entire language so you won't be surprised when you see it used in the libraries you may end up using. The book is filled with numerous best practices born of experience and historical anecdotes that provide valuable perspective. I've often wondered what the difference was between the various object models offered by the browser and this book answers that question.
The book is not designed to be a reference manual as it is not filled with tables that contain the properties of every object or function you may run across. It does, however, provide you with more in-depth information than you would probably be able to get from a reference manual. For example, it details the three different ways you can construct a function and provides information on when and why you may want to use each.
Each chapter of the book covers one aspect of the language. There are numerous examples that illustrate the concept being discussed. I really enjoyed seeing the author's depth of insight as she explains the various topics. You can tell she has been doing web development for a long time from all of the historical information she provides. This historical information has very practical value as it explains many of the idiosyncrasies of the language. I've often heard that Javascript is a very powerful and under appreciated language. This book attempts to expose that power and make it usable by all users of the language. I think the author has done a good job at doing just that.
Media reviews
"If you're serious about learning Javascript, this book is well worth the price. It's efficient, slim and a good start with a relationship with one of the more powerful aspects of today's internet. Whether you are just trying to get a better grasp of web development or planning world domination through a web browser, this should be part of your library. On a KnowProSE.com scale, I am justified in saying that Learning JavaScript is an 8 out of 10. If you put in your own effort, the book becomes a 9 or higher. Web 2.0 becomes one step closer for the beginner."
-- Taran Rampersad, KnowProSE.com
"...the ideal choice for someone just starting out with Javascript who wants to learn Javascript as a proper programming language."
-- Stephen Chapman, JavaScript.About.com
"Learning JavaScript by Shelley Powers is a solid tutorial on the subject, especially for someone who already has some programming background...The information is explained well, so the reader shouldn't have any problems following it. Powers has written the code to be fully XHTML compliant, so the scripting tag looks a bit different with the use of CDATA, but it's refreshing to see a subject like JavaScript keep up with standards. Building on top of the basic language structure, she goes into the browser and document object models, which is where the real power of JavaScript resides. When you start manipulating the actual document being displayed, your web sites can take on a whole new dimension. "
-- Thomas "Duffbert" Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings
"...this really is an excellent resource."
-- Carol Bean, BeanWorks: Stuff I'm working On
"Learning JavaScript by Shelley Powers is a solid tutorial on the subject, especially for someone who already has some programming background...This is a good choice for branching out into the world of JavaScript if you haven't yet wandered down that path. By the time you finish the book, you'll be well-grounded in the fundamentals. "
-- Thomas Duff, Duffbert's Random Musings
"If you're new to JavaScript, and web programming in general, this book is a good place to start. I won't go into the details of what is covered in each chapter (another reviewer already did a good job of that), nor will I comment on the typos that annoyed another (you see so many these days; is it simply unavoidable when writing a hundreds-of-pages technical book?). What I will say is that I like the way Ms. Powers oftentimes shares the "this is *why* it's done this way," as opposed to just spitting out how to do something. For me, folding a bit of history or context into an explanation always makes it easier to remember what is being discussed. I thought she covered everything she needed to in a nice, orderly, and logical fashion. "
-- Larry Hannay, Amazon.com
"When I first started reading the first 10 pages of chapter 1 I knew this would be a great edition to my ever growing library of JavaScript books. This book covers the very popular scripting language from a programming perspective, not like a "here's how to create a variable and use document.write to the page"...The meat and potatoes of the book are the chapters on DOM (Ch. 10) and Creating Custom Objects (Ch. 11), Ajax Basics (Ch 13), APIs (Ch.14). This is where you get practical knowledge on all the new things these "JavaScript libraries are doing. There's too much information to summarize these chapters but believe me they are worth the price of the book alone."
-- Frank Stepanski, Amazon.com
"The author provides a unique bridge between JavaScript and Ajax, showing in web-based examples, how to apply JavaScript logic to existing object structures. Although JavaScript is one of the most widely used languages it is also one of the most misunderstood because it is actually two languages. The first is an easy-to-use scripting language built into Web browsers and performing functions such as form validation and drop down menus; and second, an object-oriented language which requires in-depth study. This provides a strong link between the two."
-- Michael Kleper, The Kleper Report on Digital Publishing
"The book serves as a bridge between the old-style and new-style JavaScript and is especially useful for 'those learning JavaScript because they want to jump into Ajax'...Learning JavaScript does not pretend to be a definitive guide; however, it is remarkably comprehensive, detailed, and provides discussions of topics that are not found--at least in any useful detail--in most other general JavaScript texts. Security, cookies, and cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks are some of those topics."
-- Major Keary, Book Notes
