JavaScript in 24 Hours, Sams Teach Yourself / Edition 6

by Phil Ballard

Overview

In just 24 lessons of one hour or less, Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours helps you learn the fundamentals of programming using the JavaScript language.


Designed for beginners with no previous programming experience, this book’s straightforward, step-by-step approach shows you how to use JavaScript to add a wide array of interactive features and effects to your web pages.

Every lesson builds on what you’ve already learned, giving you a rock-solid foundation for real-world success.

• Step-by-step instructions carefully walk you through the most common JavaScript programming tasks.
• Practical, hands-on examples show you how to apply what you learn.
• Quizzes and exercises help you test your knowledge and stretch your skills.
• Notes and tips point out shortcuts and solutions.

Learn how to:

• Use JavaScript to build dynamic, interactive web pages
• Debug scripts
• Create scripts that work in all browsers
• Write clear, reliable, and reusable code
• Use object-oriented programming techniques
• Script with the DOM
• Access JSON data
• Work with HTML5 and CSS3
• Leverage the popular jQuery library
• Control CSS with simple JavaScripts
• Read and write cookies
• Use some of the new ECMAScript 6 features today
• Get started with frameworks such as AngularJS
• Build browser add-ons and extensions

Who This Book Is For:

• Those who have at least a basic understanding of HTML and web page design in general and want to move on to adding some extra interactivity to your pages.
• Those who currently code in another programming language and want to see what additional capabilities JavaScript can add to your armory
  
• Someone who has never done any computer programming. Browse through an HTML primer before using this book. You don't need to be an HTML expert to use JavaScript but should have a basic understanding.

Contents at a Glance:

Part I: First Steps with JavaScript

1 Introducing JavaScript

2 Writing Simple Scripts

3 Using Functions

4 DOM Objects and Built-in Objects

Part II: Cooking with Code

5 Numbers and Strings

6 Arrays

7 Program Control

Part III: Objects

8 Object-Oriented Programming

9 Scripting with the DOM

10 Meet JSON

Part IV: HTML5 and CSS3

11 JavaScript and HTML5

12 JavaScript and CSS

13 Introducing CSS3

Part V: Using JavaScript Libraries

14 Using Libraries

15 A Closer Look at jQuery

16 The jQuery UI User Interface Library

17 Ajax with jQuery

Part VI: Advanced Topics

18 Reading and Writing Cookies

19 Coming Soon to JavaScript

20 Using Frameworks

21 JavaScript Beyond the Web Page

Part VII: Learning the Trade

22 Good Coding Practice

23 Debugging Your Code

24 JavaScript Unit Testing

Part VIII: Appendices

A Tools for JavaScript Development

B JavaScript Quick Reference

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780672337383
Publisher:	Sams
Publication date:	06/23/2015
Series:	Sams Teach Yourself Series
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Phil Ballard, the author of various Sams Teach Yourself titles, graduated in 1980 with an honors degree in electronics from the University of Leeds, England. Following an early career as a research scientist with a major multinational, he spent a few years in commercial and managerial roles within the high technology sector, later working full time as a software engineering consultant. Operating as “The Mouse Whisperer” (www.mousewhisperer.co.uk ), Ballard has spent recent years involved solely in website and intranet design and development for an international portfolio of clients, as well as writing numerous technical books and articles.

Table of Contents

Part I: First Steps with JavaScript

HOUR 1: Introducing JavaScript

Web Scripting Fundamentals

Server- Versus Client-Side Programming

JavaScript in a Nutshell

Where JavaScript Came From

The Script Tag

Introducing the DOM

Talking to the User

HOUR 2: Writing Simple Scripts

Including JavaScript in Your Web Page

JavaScript Statements

Variables

Operators

Capturing Mouse Events

HOUR 3: Using Functions

General Syntax

Calling Functions

Passing Arguments to Functions

Returning Values from Functions

Scope of Variables

HOUR 4: DOM Objects and Built-in Objects

Interacting with the User

Selecting Elements by Their ID

Accessing Browser History

Using the location Object

Browser Information–The navigator Object

Dates and Times

Simplifying Calculation with the Math Object

Part II: Cooking with Code

HOUR 5: Numbers and Strings

Numbers

Strings

Boolean Values

HOUR 6: Arrays

Arrays

HOUR 7: Program Control

Conditional Statements

Loops and Control Structures

Setting and Using Timers

Part III: Objects

HOUR 8: Object-Oriented Programming

What Is Object-Oriented Programming?

Object Creation

Extending and Inheriting Objects Using prototype

Encapsulation

Using Feature Detection

HOUR 9: Scripting with the DOM

DOM Nodes

Selecting Elements with getElementsByTagName()

Reading an Element’s Attributes

Mozilla’s DOM Inspector

HOUR 10: Meet JSON

What Is JSON?

Accessing JSON Data

Data Serialization with JSON

JSON Data Types

Simulating Associative Arrays

Creating Objects with JSON

JSON Security

Part IV: HTML and CSS

HOUR 11: JavaScript and HTML5

New Markup for HTML5

Some Important New Elements

Drag and Drop

Local Storage

Working with Local Files

HOUR 12: JavaScript and CSS

A Ten-Minute CSS Primer

The DOM style Property

Accessing Classes Using className

The DOM styleSheets Object

HOUR 13: Introducing CSS3

Vendor-Specific Properties and Prefixes

CSS3 Borders

CSS3 Backgrounds

CSS3 Gradients

CSS3 Text Effects

CSS3 Transitions, Transformations, and Animations

Referencing CSS3 Properties in JavaScript

Setting CSS3 Properties with Vendor Prefixes

Part V: Using JavaScript Libraries

HOUR 14: Using Libraries

Why Use a Library?

What Sorts of Things Can Libraries Do?

Some Popular Libraries

Introducing prototype.js

HOUR 15: A Closer Look at jQuery

Including jQuery in Your Pages

jQuery’s $(document).ready Handler

Selecting Page Elements

Working with HTML Content

Showing and Hiding Elements

Animating Elements

Command Chaining

Handling Events

HOUR 16: The jQuery UI User Interface Library

What jQuery UI Is All About

How to Include jQuery UI in Your Pages

Interactions

Using Widgets

HOUR 17: Ajax with jQuery

The Anatomy of Ajax

Using jQuery to Implement Ajax

Part VI: Advanced Topics

HOUR 18: Reading and Writing Cookies

What Are Cookies?

The document.cookie Property

Cookie Ingredients

Writing a Cookie

A Function to Write a Cookie

Reading a Cookie

Deleting Cookies

Setting Multiple Values in a Single Cookie

HOUR 19: Coming Soon to JavaScript

Classes

Arrow Functions

Modules

Using let and const

Template Strings

Access Arrays with for-of

Transpilation

HOUR 20: Using Frameworks

Software Frameworks

Model-View-Controller (MVC) Architecture

Using an MVC Framework for Web Apps

The AngularJS Framework

Building an AngularJS Application

HOUR 21: JavaScript Beyond the Web Page

JavaScript Outside the Browser

Writing Google Chrome Extensions

Going Further

Part VII: Learning the Trade

HOUR 22: Good Coding Practice

Don’t Overuse JavaScript

Writing Readable and Maintainable Code

Graceful Degradation

Progressive Enhancement

Unobtrusive JavaScript

Feature Detection

Handling Errors Well

HOUR 23: Debugging Your Code

An Introduction to Debugging

More Advanced Debugging

HOUR 24: JavaScript Unit Testing

What Is Unit Testing?

Writing JavaScript for Unit Testing

The QUnit Test Suite

Part VIII: Appendices

APPENDIX A: Tools for JavaScript Development

Editors

Validators

Debugging and Verifying Tools

APPENDIX B: JavaScript Quick Reference