Book Review - JavaScript - The Definitive Guide (5th Edition) by David Flanagan
Category Book Reviews
There are a few books in the IT realm that are classics... ones that have gone past their second or even third edition. This is one of them... JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (5th Edition) by David Flanagan. I like this comprehensive JavaScript reference manual much more than others that I have on my shelf.
Contents:
Part 1 - Core JavaScript: Lexical Structure; Datatypes and Values; Variables; Expressions and Operators; Statements; Objects and Arrays; Functions; Classes, Constructors, and Prototypes; Modules and Namespaces; Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions; Scripting Java
Part 2 - Client-Side JavaScript: JavaScript in Web Browsers; Scripting Browser Windows; Scripting Documents; Cascading Style Sheets and Dynamic HTML; Events and Event Handling; Forms and Form Elements; Cookies and Client-Side Persistence; Scripting HTTP; JavaScript and XML; Scripted Client-Side Graphics; Scripting Java Applets and Flash Movies
Part 3 - Core JavaScript Reference
Part 4 - Client-Side JavaScript Reference
Index
Flanagan has the somewhat rare opportunity to update a book that deals with a technology that is actually mature, stable, and pretty well implemented by all the browser clients. Trying to writing this book in the late 90's would have been an impossible nightmare. Now the core JavaScript language has solidified, making it easier to decide what chapters work and which ones need tweaks. It also allows the author to add chapters that touch on new ways that JavaScript is being used today, such as Ajax. Once you get past Part 1 (the core reference/tutorial information), you learn how JavaScript can be leveraged in ways that weren't envisioned until recently. In particular, there was some interesting material on cookies that I haven't seen anywhere else. Parts 3 and 4 are the sections where you'll spend most of your time looking up those pesky parameters you can't remember on a day-to-day basis, and the layout is very easy to follow and find what you need. I liked it a lot...
I have a different JavaScript reference manual at work, but it's never been one that I've relished having to use. This volume is slated to take over that shelf space next week... Great job.
If you liked this review and found it helpful, please click on the Amazon book link in the review and click the Yes (Was This Review Helpful To You?) button at the bottom of my review. Thanks!
There are a few books in the IT realm that are classics... ones that have gone past their second or even third edition. This is one of them... JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (5th Edition) by David Flanagan. I like this comprehensive JavaScript reference manual much more than others that I have on my shelf.
Contents:
Part 1 - Core JavaScript: Lexical Structure; Datatypes and Values; Variables; Expressions and Operators; Statements; Objects and Arrays; Functions; Classes, Constructors, and Prototypes; Modules and Namespaces; Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions; Scripting Java
Part 2 - Client-Side JavaScript: JavaScript in Web Browsers; Scripting Browser Windows; Scripting Documents; Cascading Style Sheets and Dynamic HTML; Events and Event Handling; Forms and Form Elements; Cookies and Client-Side Persistence; Scripting HTTP; JavaScript and XML; Scripted Client-Side Graphics; Scripting Java Applets and Flash Movies
Part 3 - Core JavaScript Reference
Part 4 - Client-Side JavaScript Reference
Index
Flanagan has the somewhat rare opportunity to update a book that deals with a technology that is actually mature, stable, and pretty well implemented by all the browser clients. Trying to writing this book in the late 90's would have been an impossible nightmare. Now the core JavaScript language has solidified, making it easier to decide what chapters work and which ones need tweaks. It also allows the author to add chapters that touch on new ways that JavaScript is being used today, such as Ajax. Once you get past Part 1 (the core reference/tutorial information), you learn how JavaScript can be leveraged in ways that weren't envisioned until recently. In particular, there was some interesting material on cookies that I haven't seen anywhere else. Parts 3 and 4 are the sections where you'll spend most of your time looking up those pesky parameters you can't remember on a day-to-day basis, and the layout is very easy to follow and find what you need. I liked it a lot...
I have a different JavaScript reference manual at work, but it's never been one that I've relished having to use. This volume is slated to take over that shelf space next week... Great job.
If you liked this review and found it helpful, please click on the Amazon book link in the review and click the Yes (Was This Review Helpful To You?) button at the bottom of my review. Thanks!
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Posted by David Flanagan At 21:56:59 On 19/10/2006 | - Website - |