| Overview
JavaScript is a powerful scripting language that can be embedded
directly in HTML. It allows you to create dynamic, interactive
Web-based applications that run completely within a Web browser;
you don't have to do any server-side programming, like writing CGI
scripts. JavaScript is a simpler language than Java. It can be
embedded directly in Web pages without compilation, so it is more
flexible and easier to use for simple tasks like animation.
However, although you can write reasonably robust and complete Web
applications using JavaScript alone, JavaScript is not a substitute
for Java. In fact, JavaScript is a good client-side complement to
Java; using the two together allows you to create more complex
applications than are possible with JavaScript alone.
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide provides a thorough
description of the core JavaScript language and its client-side
framework, complete with sophisticated examples that show you how
to handle common tasks, like validating form data and working with
cookies. The book also contains a definitive, in-depth reference
section that covers every core and client-side JavaScript function,
object, method, property, constructor, and event handler. This book
is an indispensable reference for all JavaScript programmers,
regardless of experience level. This third edition of
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide describes the latest
version of the language, JavaScript 1.2, as supported by Netscape
Navigator 4 and Internet Explorer 4. The book also covers
JavaScript 1.1, which is the first industry-standard version known
as ECMAScript. The new features of JavaScript 1.2, which are likely
to be embodied in a later ECMAScript standard release, are clearly
indicated, so that you can use them as appropriate in your scripts.
Editorial ReviewsProduct DescriptionJavaScript is a powerful scripting language that can be embedded directly in HTML; it allows you to create dynamic, interactive Web-based applications that run completely within a Web browser.JavaScript: The Definitive Guide provides a thorough description of the core JavaScript language and its client-side framework, complete with sophisticated examples that show you how to handle common tasks. The book also contains a definitive, in-depth reference section that covers every core and client-side JavaScript function, object, method, property, constructor, and event handler. This third edition of JavaScript: The Definitive Guide describes the latest version of the language, JavaScript 1.2, as supported by Netscape Navigator 4 and Internet Explorer 4. The book also covers JavaScript 1.1, which is the first industry-standard version known as ECMAScript. | Amazon.com ReviewSince the earliest days of Internet scripting, Web developers have considered JavaScript: The Definitive Guide an essential resource. David Flanagan's approach, which combines tutorials and examples with easy-to-use syntax guides and object references, suits the typical programmer's requirements nicely. The brand-new fourth edition of Flanagan's "Rhino Book" includes coverage of JavaScript 1.5, JScript 5.5, ECMAScript 3, and the Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 standard from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Interestingly, the author has shifted away from specifying--as he did in earlier editions--what browsers support each bit of the language. Rather than say Netscape 3.0 supports the Image object while Internet Explorer 3.0 does not, he specifies that JavaScript 1.1 and JScript 3.0 support Image. More usefully, he specifies the contents of independent standards like ECMAScript, which encourages scripters to write applications for these standards and browser vendors to support them. As Flanagan says, JavaScript and its related subjects are very complex in their pure forms. It's impossible to keep track of the differences among half a dozen vendors' generally similar implementations. Nonetheless, a lot of examples make reference to specific browsers' capabilities. Though he does not cover server-side APIs, Flanagan has chosen to separate coverage of core JavaScript (all the keywords, general syntax, and utility objects like Array) from coverage of client-side JavaScript (which includes objects, like History and Event, that have to do with Web browsers and users' interactions with them. This approach makes this book useful to people using JavaScript for applications other than Web pages. By the way, the other classic JavaScript text--Danny Goodman's JavaScript Bible--isn't as current as this book, but it's still a fantastic (and perhaps somewhat more novice-friendly) guide to the JavaScript language and its capabilities. --David Wall Topics covered: The JavaScript language (version 1.0 through version 1.5) and its relatives, JScript and ECMAScript, as well as the W3C DOM standards they're often used to manipulate. Tutorial sections show how to program in JavaScript, while reference sections summarize syntax and options while providing copious code examples. |
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Reader Reviews From Amazon (Ranked by 'Helpfulness') Average Customer Rating: based on 286 reviews. Gave Me What I Needed - And More!, 2009-06-25 Reviewer rating: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
I needed a reference guide to JavaScript. I am by no means an expert, I just wanted point solutions that were rather more "in depth" than the "geek boards".
My success criteria here are: 1. Did it make sense of JavaScript? and 2. More importantly, if I wanted a point solution - was it there?
Yes on both counts.
I am still new to JavaScript - so I will update this review later. | JavaScript: The Deep Doctrine, 2009-06-03 Reviewer rating: Note: My review is based on the 5th edition.
If you want to know how JavaScript really works, this is *the* book for exactly that. Understanding the core concepts of the language, such as the prototypical OO model, closures, functions as data, etc. will help you go far if JavaScript is something you use on daily basis.
While there are numerous JavaScript libraries in existence today (jQuery, MochiKit, Dojo, prototype, YUI, etc.) that simplify a lot of what needs to get done client-side, understanding the language itself is still necessary for those times when the abstractions that the libraries provide leak/fail or don't provide some feature you want.
If you are frustrated by JavaScript, you only need to spend the time educating yourself about how it really works. Once you do, and with some experience, you will reach that state of Nirvana that allows you to work easily in this language. | An indespensibe reference, 2009-04-30 Reviewer rating: A fantastically complete reference to Javascript. This is not a "learn Javascript" book, however - but a reference. The examples are not as detailed as in other "learning" books - but as a reference guide it cannot be beat. It is extremely rare that I can't find what I'm looking for in that book. I am using the 5th edition of the book, which is much better than the older editions - and I feel is the new standard for what should be called a "Definitive Guide". Pitfalls, quirks, browser differences and a complete (as of 2006 at least) property/function reference for both core and DOM javascript objects. Highly recommended. | And it's only $32? Wow., 2009-04-04 Reviewer rating: I bought this book because I wanted to learn JavaScript, and it is doing just that!!! There is so much stuff packed into this book that it is amazing, and I can't believe I only payed $32 for it! It covers everything you need to know. It goes into more detail about JavaScript than any book on any other language I have seen. And all the pages are not little flashy examples. It is a real reference for those who are serious about learning JS. | Who Cares About Core vs. Client? Just Give Me an Alphabetical Reference!, 2009-04-03 Reviewer rating: I've been using the JavaScript 1.1 version of this book by David Flanagan for years, but it was becoming less and less useful to me as I increasingly needed to look up new additions to the language that were missing from the older 1.1 book.
I took the plunge and purchased the new 5th edition of the book. Flanagan still only provides mediocre examples, like when he explains parseInt() he only shows integer arguments so it's no big surprise that he gets back integers. It would be much better, say, if he showed how parseInt(2.5) returns 2 so it really can't be used to validate that the input argument is an integer.
My boss has the "JavaScript Bible 6th Edition" by Goodman, but that book merely teaches the language, if you have that kind of time. You can't really look things up in that book. Where this book by Flanagan excels is in its reference, but I hate the new arrangement. Flanagan provided an A to Z reference in the 1.1 book, but not any more.
I nicked this review down a star because Flanagan now groups content in the reference by whether it applies to what he calls "core JavaScript" vs. "client JavaScript". Who cares? Speaking as a developer who jumps among multiple languages -- JavaScript, CSS, DHTML, HTML, LotusScript, @formula language, Java -- to support several web applications, when I need to look something up in JavaScript, I just want an alphabetical reference.
I don't really care if something is "DOM Level 1 Core JavaScript". I don't even know what the heck that means! I'm not a JavaScript purist. JavaScript is just one of the tools I employ. Flanagan needs to realize that his technical books are not novels, we don't read them from start to finish.
Despite my frustrations with the book, it's still a worthwhile purchase, I don't regret it. |
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