Chapter 1. jQuery Basics
Introduction
Since you’ve picked up a cookbook about jQuery, the authors of this book for the most part are going to assume that you have a loose idea about what exactly jQuery is and what it does. Frankly, cookbooks in general are typically written for an audience who seeks to enhance a foundation of knowledge that has already been established. Thus, the recipe-solution-discussion format is used to quickly get you solutions to common problems. However, if you are a jQuery newbie, don’t throw this book against the wall and curse us just yet. We’ve dedicated this chapter to you.
If you are in need of a review or are jumping into this cookbook with little or no working knowledge of jQuery, this first chapter alone (the other chapters assume you know the basics) will aid you in learning the jQuery essentials. Now, realistically, if you have absolutely zero knowledge of JavaScript and the DOM, you might want to take a step back and ask yourself whether approaching jQuery without a basic understanding of the JavaScript core language and its relationship with the DOM is plausible. It would be my recommendation to study up on the DOM and JavaScript core before approaching jQuery. I highly recommend JavaScript: The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan (O’Reilly) as a primer before reading this book. But don’t let my humble opinion stop you if you are attempting to learn jQuery before you learn about the DOM and JavaScript. Many have come to a working knowledge ...