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Head First JavaScript [Paperback]

Michael Morrison (Author)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Book Description

A Learner's Companion to JavaScript

Product Description

So you're ready to make the leap from writing HTML and CSS web pages to creating dynamic web applications. You want to take your web skills to the next level. And you're finally ready to add "programmer" to the resume. It sounds like you're ready to learn the Web's hottest programming language: JavaScript. Head First JavaScript is your ticket to going beyond copying and pasting the code from someone else's web site, and writing your own interactive web pages.

With Head First JavaScript, you learn:

  • The basics of programming, from variables to types to looping
  • How the web browser runs your code, and how you can talk to the browser with your code
  • Why you'll never have to worry about casting, overloading, or polymorphism when you're writing JavaScript code
  • How to use the Document Object Model to change your web pages without making your users click buttons
If you've ever read a Head First book, you know what to expect -- a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works. Head First JavaScript is no exception. It starts where HTML and CSS leave off, and takes you through your first program into more complex programming concepts -- like working directly with the web browser's object model and writing code that works on all modern browsers.

Don't be intimidated if you've never written a line of code before! In typical Head First style, Head First JavaScript doesn't skip steps, and we're not interested in having you cut and paste code. You'll learn JavaScript, understand it, and have a blast along the way. So get ready... dynamic and exciting web pages are just pages away.
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 656 pages
  • Publisher: O'Reilly Media; 1 edition (January 11, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0596527748
  • ISBN-13: 978-0596527747
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.1 x 1.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #22,739 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
    #39 in  Books > Computers & Internet > Programming > Java
    #56 in  Books > Computers & Internet > Home Computing > Internet
    #9 in  Books > Computers & Internet > Web Development > Programming > JavaScript

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Michael Morrison
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Customer Reviews

46 Reviews
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3.8 out of 5 stars (46 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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78 of 80 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A good book, but not all it could be., February 5, 2008
By J. Mitchell (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Head First JavaScript (Paperback)
Let me begin by saying that Head First Javascript is a good book, at least compared to any other JS books I've seen. It isn't, however, a particularly good "Head First" book.

What I mean by this is that the other Head First books I've used (XHTML & CSS, SQL, and C#) have been highly interactive, easy to use, and really got the concepts into my head. I was amazed that, after just a few days with these books, I could actually build professional-looking web pages that were rigorously standards compliant; or create complex applications in C# quickly and easily; or navigate the intricacies of building and using SQL databases. The Head First method certainly seemed to work.

So when I heard the HF people were producing a JS book, I was overjoyed. Sadly, it's been a bit of a letdown. The book smacks strongly of rushed production, lacking many of the features that makes the HF series special. For example, in the C# book, the authors take the reader through application construction in a step-by-step manner, carefully explaining everything as they go. The effect is of a very knowledgeable teacher standing over your shoulder and guiding you while you code. The reader is actively involved in every exercise, building their code from scratch. There are copies of every piece of code available for download at Head First's website, but these are merely tools for checking the reader's work.

In the Javascript book, however, much of the interactivity is missing. The book reads like a walkthrough of the code samples, with most of the user participation taking the form of pencil and paper exercises. The reader could actually complete the book without switching on her PC. Even the code solutions on the HF website seem to be just tossed up there, with the page numbers each example refers to contained in a Read Me file (the book itself just contains a general instruction to grab the code from the website, without any indication of which code).

This all sounds pretty negative, and I must confess to being somewhat disappointed with the book. That said, it's still far superior to any other JS book I've tried. By the end of Head First Javascript, I did feel that the general scope of Javascript had sunk into my brain. I had a feeling for its overall structure and the ways in which it could be applied. I know that I can now tackle a more advanced JS book and absorb the concepts much more easily.

What I don't feel is ready to sit down and write Javascript. The whole experience with this book was just too fragmentary and too lopsidedly didactic. The experience was insufficiently hands-on to enable me to become comfortable with the nitty gritty of JS scripting. When I finished HF's C#, XHTML, and SQL books, I could sit down and churn out code, with only a few O'Reilly Pocket Guides beside me to refresh my memory on syntax and structure. That's not been the case with Javascript.

Head First Javascript just seems to lack the "stickiness" of the other titles in the series.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to Javascript but not a reference book, January 20, 2008
This review is from: Head First JavaScript (Paperback)
The first headfirst book I read was the HTML one and I have been hooked ever since. I took a class in javascript last semester and was hoping this book would come out before finals but alas that didn't happen. Anyways, I got this book when it first came out and I have been going through it since. Here are my observations

Pros: 1)The pacing is well-balanced. For those with no experience in programming they slowly but surely introduce you to if statements, variables, loops, functions, and arrays. Ch 7 and 8 hit the sweet spot in terms of usefulness and ease of learning. The book gets more challenging at the end but by that time I was ready for the topics they introduced.
2) Chapter 7 is definitely my favorite chapter of the book. It introduced me to a much more efficient way of data editing/validation. I had always used indexof but this chapter introduced me to regular expressions and they ROCKED my world! A very practical and useful chapter.
3) The code examples- The examples they use in the book are very relevant to what you might actually use on your own website. Each chapter introduced the code layer by layer so as to not overwhelm me with its complexity
4) Attention to detail- As I read the book, I often had unanswered questions and then a couple of pages later the author would answer it. If there was function or object I wasn't familiar with, it would be explained with the pencil writing.
5) The FUN Factor! The code examples they use like the choose your own adventure in ch.8 are very creative and interesting. Some might consider the humor sophomoric but a young college student like myself appreciated it.

Cons: 1) This is not a reference book. That's a double edged sword depending on what you are looking for though. This book is a great starting off point for beginners and by the end I felt I had become very proficient in javascript. Even though this book will be my main guide for Javascript, I know there is still more for me to learn and I'll probably buy that Oreilly book with the rhino on the cover.

Bottom line: If you are taking a class in javascript or want to know how to make your web pages more interactive, this is a great introduction to javascript. Even though I still got an A, I know I could really have used this book last semester in my javascript class.
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25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a different approach to teaching JavaScript., January 12, 2008
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This review is from: Head First JavaScript (Paperback)
I pre-ordered this book on the strong reputation this line of books has. I like the Head First Java, 2nd Edition book, and still believe their Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML book is the best book there is for learning "smart" XHTML and CSS at the same time--whereas many books have NOT handled that balance well.

I sponsor a high school computer programming club and my students had me pre-order this book for them, as they loved the Head First HTML book and felt this would be their best bet at really understanding JavaScript.

JavaScript is a strange language to teach. Although you want to teach the basics of programming, you also want to have early exciting examples that show its possibilities when embedded in a web page. This book does about as well as can be done in one book, with sections on loops, decision making, de-bugging, functions and objects for those new to programming. Then there are also chapters on the most common uses of JavaScript, including, of course, forms and validation.

If you're familiar with the Head First approach, you will find this book to fit in perfectly with their other titles. This is the kind of book you buy, highlight, and write in. Active learning. This is not a reference book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars javascript for non-programmers?
Like all the head first books, this one is very readable. But if you have any previous experience programming anything, you will likely find much of the information too trivial... Read more
Published 1 month ago by BJAloha

5.0 out of 5 stars I always recommend Head First Books
I am learning to build websites on my own, and these books are the only ones that explain complex concepts in a visual format that is appealing to a graphic designer.
Published 5 months ago by H. Peakman

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Resource for Visual Learners
My only complaint with this item was that it took over three weeks for USPS to ship it to me from three states away. But that's not the fault of the product or the seller. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Professional Amateur

4.0 out of 5 stars Like this book
Purchased this book for a class, also using the HTML book for another. There are a few topics that the book introduce early, early enought that you are lost or confused but they... Read more
Published 7 months ago by LionsFan#2

2.0 out of 5 stars OK but not OK
This book is ok if you like the "new" style of learning it tries to employ. I found it absolutely useless. Read more
Published 10 months ago by James C. Munro

4.0 out of 5 stars Great condition for used book
large book of java learning fun. Came quickly and in great condition for a used book. Many thanks. I love Head First books, they make learning very dry content quick and fun.
Published 10 months ago by R. Coghill

5.0 out of 5 stars a smooth and rich introduction to javascript
I hadn't touched Javascript for a while and had a bit of an aversion for it while reading dry tomes about the language itself. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Y. Maman

1.0 out of 5 stars The worst computer book I have ever purchased
If I could give this book a negative rating I would. Paul Welch summed the book up very well for chapter 2, so I'm not going to go over everything again. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Brent Knigge

2.0 out of 5 stars If you're a beginner, prepare to bang your head in frustration
I'm not a Javascript expert. I'm trying to learn it. This book is better than others I've seen, particularly on the concepts of the language. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Center Man

3.0 out of 5 stars I was expecting more
Overall, I'm a huge fan of HF books. In this case, however, I feel like the book didn't go as deep as it could have or as I was expecting. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Zachary Shalla

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