Beginning JavaScript and CSS Development with jQuery (Wrox Programmer to Programmer) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

jQuery is a JavaScript library that helps web developers create JavaScript applications that work well in any browser. This book demonstrates how to use jQuery to reduce the amount of code you need to write and reduce the amount of testing that is required. Youll see how separation of presentation (CSS), markup (XHTML), and script (JavaScript and Ajax) in web pages is a crucial direction in web development for creating maintainable, accessible, cost-effective web sites. The featured full-color code syntax highlighting provides you with a visual reinforcement so you can see the various pieces and parts that make up each line and section of code for each language.

From the Back Cover

jQuery allows you to do more in the world of dynamic web applications, with less code and fewer errors. It reduces the amount of JavaScript programming to only a few lines of code while making your JavaScript more intuitive and attractive to work with. At the same time, jQuery makes it easier to manipulate CSS from JavaScript by allowing you to set style for one or many elements at once.

With this unique, project-oriented book, author Richard York teaches even the most novice of JavaScript users how to quickly get started utilizing the JavaScript jQuery Library to decrease the amount of code that needs to be written and tested. A four-color code syntax highlighting system provides a visual reinforcement and allows you to see the nuts and bolts that comprise each line and section of code. With this helpful guide and hands-on exercises, you'll be able to put jQuery to work for you and avoid having to write code from scratch.

What you will learn from this book

• How to install and test jQuery

• Techniques to manipulate content and attributes

• Ways to filter and map a selection or an array

• The difference between GET and POST

• How to easily show, hide, slide, and fade elements with smooth animations and transitions

• Good practice for jQuery plugin development

• Methods for making elements draggable

• Ways to customize sortable lists

• How to implement and localize a datepicker

Who this book is for

This book is for web designers eager to do more with their web-based applications, but who do not necessarily have much JavaScript experience. Some basic knowledge of XHTML and CSS is necessary.

Wrox Beginning guides are crafted to make learning programming languages and technologies easier than you think, providing a structured, tutorial format that will guide you through all the techniques involved.

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Wrox (May 4, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470227796
• ISBN-13: 978-0470227794
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,777 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #11 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Web Development > Programming > JavaScript
  #21 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Programming > Languages & Tools > CSS
  #55 in	Books > Computers & Internet > Programming > Introductory & Beginning

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tutorial for those new to JQuery, May 28, 2009

By	Colin Brown "Colin Brown Microsoft MVP" (Birmingham, Alabama, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Every so often in computing a language extension or new technology comes along that is the buzz of the development community. JQuery is one of those. Lots of developers are talking about it and using it, even Microsoft are including native support for it in their upcoming Visual Studio 2010 release.

Beginning JavaScript and CSS Development with JQuery is a beautiful full color book from Wrox Press weighing in at just over 500 pages. Richard York assumes that you are already familiar with JavaScript and also CSS and therefore this is not a book for the complete beginner, only a beginner with JQuery.

The book is well laid out with chapters devoted to each of JQuery's main areas, selectors, AJAX, Manipulating the DOM, Event handling etc. etc. with numerous Appendixes that can be used as a quick reference. Each chapter has numerous examples explaining the particular JQuery concepts and constructs being discussed culminating in one big example program at the end of the chapter that brings together everything discussed in that particular chapter finally ending with a quick question exercise to make sure that the keywords and constructs discussed have truly sunk in. This is an excellent way for a beginners book to be constructed as it really hammers home what has been discussed during each chapter.

One major annoyance I have with Richards writing style however is that he comes across as a Mac snob and throughout the book takes snipes at Microsoft and especially Internet Explorer. Whilst some of this may be deserving it is off-putting and a detraction from what is ultimately a good book.

If you can gloss over the snobbishness I would actually recommend this book for beginners of JQuery. The full color screenshots highlight the various examples superbly and Richard does give you a lot of useful information without overwhelming you with every nuance of JQuery.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beginning JQuery, August 19, 2009

By	Peter Torres "PT" (COS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book and I love it. Much easier than surfing the internet reading blogs and snippets. No offense to [...], but that website has too much information for us newbies...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally a book about Javascript(JQuery) that makes sense, June 24, 2009

By	J. Maitz (Indiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Having read a few entry-level javascript books it was refreshing to read something that drew upon real-world situations from the authors experiences. While allot of books, and this one included, seem to have a firm grasp for the basics not many get the users/readers running quickly like this one. Mr. York represents the type of author does not waste the readers time by walking them through a problem with a firm taste of theory and discussion. He lays out the framework for anyone not experienced in javascript and points them in the direction of JQuery. And while some may complain that this book is perhaps repetitious, it is through repetition one builds proficiency and mastery of anything.