Mastering Dojo: JavaScript and Ajax Tools for Great Web Experiences (Pragmatic Programmers) (Paperback)

~ Rawld Gill (Author), (Author), Alex Russell (Author), Jacquelyn Carter (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The last couple of years have seen big changes in server-side web programming. Now it's the client's turn; Dojo is the toolkit to make it happen and Mastering Dojo shows you how.

Dojo is a set of client-side JavaScript tools that help you build better web applications. Dojo blurs the line between local, native applications and browser based applications; the browser becomes the user interface platform. "Modern" browsers provide an incomplete, inconvenient, and incompatible programming environment, but Dojo eliminates these problems. While there are many JavaScript libraries available, most focus on just one thing (for example, effects libraries, perceived JavaScript omissions, or HTML widgets). Dojo addresses all of these functional areas-and many others-extensively.

In "Mastering Dojo," you'll get the whole story, from basic usage to advanced idioms. Mastering Dojo starts out with a fast moving tutorial that will give you techniques that you can start using right away. You'll learn all about Dojo Core--the foundation on which all things Dojo stand. See how you can modularize your project for development and automatically package your release for optimal download performance. You'll also learn how Dojo: augments the core JavaScript library fixes the event system simplifies DOM programming provides a complete class definition facility includes a powerful remote scripting (XHR) framework ... and much more.

You'll love using Dojo's HTML user interface control widget system, Dijit. See how to use over 40 widgets, including the rich yet easy-to-use tree and grid controls.

Finally, you'll get an in-depth look at how to design and build a single-page, rich Internet Application.

About the Author

Craig Riecke is a Dojo committer and a writer and editor for the Book of Dojo, Dojo's online documentation. He is currently Manager of Application Development for CXtec in Syracuse, NY. While programming he listens to old, scratchy blues musicon his iPod. His motto is "I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log than write a redundant line of code."

Rawld Gill has served as chief architect of five major lines of commercial, enterprise- class software targeted at the pharmaceutical industry over the last 25 years. He co-invented the concept of distributed data collection for clinical trials. A former U.S. Air Force officer and instructor fighter pilot, he has logged more than 2000 hours in supersonic jet fighter aircraft.

Alex Russell is the project lead for The Dojo Toolkit and president of the Dojo Foundation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 555 pages
• Publisher: Pragmatic Bookshelf (June 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934356115
• ISBN-13: 978-1934356111
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #87,811 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #22 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Programming > Languages & Tools > Ajax
  #26 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Web Development > Programming > JavaScript

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Currently the best book on Dojo, August 23, 2008

By	Bin Hu "Think tech" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

One line conclusion: Recommended for serious developers using Dojo.

Comparing this book with the other two Dojo books (one published by O'Reilly and one by Addison-Wesley Professional), I feel the title of this book is justified. The contents of the other two are greatly overlapped with the free online documentation of Dojo [...]. If all you wanted is a Dojo book that resembles a print copy of the free on line book, then you can buy the other two. If you are asking for something more, like how Dojo actually works and how to customize Dojo build (a pivotal step to speed up your product) then this is the one you need. You will not find such detailed documentation from either the Dojo documentation or the other two books.

I take one star out because the contents of the book does not fully cover the functionality of Dojo, which is somewhat understandable as Dojo itself keeps evolving.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding, detailed account filled with real-world examples , October 12, 2008

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

MASTERING DOJO: JAVASCRIPT AND AJAX TOOLS FOR GREAT WEB EXPERIENCES is an essential key to modern web programming problems resolvable by Dojo. From basic usage of Dojo to advanced tutorials, MASTERING DOJO takes the form of a class in the program with chapters building a foundation of knowledge and discussing scripting, searches, and Dojo systems alike. It's an outstanding, detailed account filled with real-world examples and perfect for students and programmers applying Dojo to web problems.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not enough advanced topics covered, April 30, 2009

By	J. McGroarty "Joe Mac" (Germantown, MD) - See all my reviews

I find that the book contains mostly beginner and intermediate information. Not enough advanced topics or talking about creation the programmatic way. The layout of the book is a bit odd (Drag and Drop is only talked about for a few pages within the context of working with the Tree widget). For more advanced developers looking for more of a reference book, consider looking elsewhere.