JavaScript Everywhere

Chapter 11. User Interfaces and React

In 1979 Steve Jobs famously visited Xerox Parc, where he saw a demo of the Xerox Alto personal computer. While other computers at the time were controlled by typed commands, the Alto utilized a mouse and featured a graphic interface of windows, which could be opened and closed. Jobs went on to borrow these ideas in the creation of the original Apple Macintosh. The popularity of the original Mac led to the proliferation of computer UIs. Today, in a typical day we may interact with dozens of graphic user interfaces, which may include personal computers as well as smartphones, tablets, ATMs, game consoles, payment kiosks, and many more. UIs now surround us, working across all sorts of devices, content types, screen sizes, and interaction formats.

As an example, I recently traveled to a different city for a meeting. That morning, I woke up and checked my flight status on my phone. I drove to the airport in my car, where a screen showed a map and allowed me to choose the music that I was listening to. On the way, I stopped at an ATM to retrieve some cash, punching in my PIN and tapping out instructions on a touchscreen. When I arrived at the airport, I checked in to my flight at a flight kiosk. As I waited at the gate, I responded to a few emails on my tablet. On the flight, I read a book on an e-ink display device. Once I landed, I summoned a ride through an application on my phone and stopped for lunch, tapping out my custom order on a display ...