I thought I had kept up with things since the last version. This book clued me in to new, simpler techniques becoming practical solutions only now - now that IE7 is so clearly on the way out.
Much of the book was re-written. There were a few issues that remained a bit elusive after reading the previous version (V5) and V6 cleared them up for me.
After studying chapter 15 on scripting documents, I stopped the press and made a number of important updates to my utilities file - streamlining functions that heavily supported IE 7. I changed a number of my websites to no longer support IE7 - this book gave me the information and courage to do so (the author did not suggest such a move, but it only made sense to me after getting myself up-to-snuff on the modern DOM). My code is now faster and leaner and much much much easier to follow (and debug if ever necessary) by using up-to-date basic dom methodologies such as:
A. Element.prototype to add some important/simple dom navigation methods to all elements (next(), previous() ..)
B. cssClass property to more easily, efficiently, and accurately deal with element classes (whereas I had a lot of code to do these functions and avoid RegExp for efficiency, now my methods simply pass cssClass with a simple RegExp as a fallback for IE8/9 which don't support cssClass. My perspective now is to NOT provide robust fallback for old IE, but only minimal anticipating users will make the jump from IE8 directly to IE 10/11 when their old PCs finally crap out (for those who use IE).
C. use of "data-" element attributes, which allow HTML to validate. I used to wrestle with confusing multiple classes to pass data so my html would validate - or I'd write special server / js scripts to attach data to elements as JS objects after the page loaded.
These examples aren't particularly the new sexy HTML5 initiatives, but without this book it might have taken me years to learn of them and to understand them enough to actually put them into play. And by the way, the book does a good job explaining the many HTML 5 initiatives - but I would first scan the pages to see if they were practical for my use and whether they were widely supported. But it's the small, detailed, practical things used in work-a-day scripting that makes this book so important to me.
I can't say this is a book for beginners only because of its length (1000+ pages) - but after learning JS on my own I wish I had read V5 of this book first as the others I read were all either somewhat outdated or too skimpy in important areas. This is really the only one that I read that goes into detail on the practical application of JS in client side scripting. It's the only JS book I use a reference.
My only criticism is that the book includes an entire chapter on jQuery (65 pages). I don't see the need for re-learning jQuery given browsers are moving along nicely toward standards compliance anyway. But the book would still weigh almost as much without the jQuery chapter.
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Customers say
Customers find this JavaScript book to be a must-have for serious developers, with detailed explanations of each aspect of the language and comprehensive coverage of various topics. The book is easy to understand and serves as a solid reference with several internal references, making it suitable for all experience levels. While some customers consider it a good starter book for programming in general, others note it's not suitable for beginners. The scope receives mixed feedback, with customers appreciating how it dives into niche aspects of the language, though some find it too wordy.
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77 customers mention content, 67 positive, 10 negative
Great book, tons of information. Not as easy to read as some other books, but then again, this is a reference manual.Read more
Clear. Simple. Authoritative. The best Javascript book I know of....Read more
It's amazing book it helped me to a few interviews to find a work.Read more
This is a excellent book. It covers all aspects of JavaScript. I would recommend this book as a reference sourceRead more
61 customers mention comprehensiveness, 47 positive, 14 negative
...Otherwise, the book so far appears to be very comprehensive and introduces several "idiomatic" techniques that are probably important to at...Read more
One of the best written and most comprehensive books on any technical language I've read....Read more
...Has a lot of useful code snippets ready for implementation. The explanations are clear and easy to read.Read more
...Unfortunately it is very technical and seems to be really geared toward experienced programmers who have already had extensive experience with other...Read more
42 customers mention informative, 35 positive, 7 negative
This is a fantastic book. Very informative and very well written.Read more
...So far I have found it to be an excellent source for learning JavaScript and I think it will become an excellent reference in the future.Read more
...was well explained and the presentation is well organized, useful examples....Read more
I thought the book was very informative and the concepts were easy to understand. I would definitely recommend it and it is a great reference.Read more
31 customers mention reference, 29 positive, 2 negative
...book is unmatched in its category, as a complete reference, a definitive guide....Read more
Good reference covered almost every topic in js ,good for beginer or someone who has hands on experience on js, recommend this book to everyone who...Read more
Truly a reliable, complete reference....Read more
...I would definitely recommend it and it is a great reference.Read more
20 customers mention readability, 15 positive, 5 negative
...The thorniest points are covered clearly and thoroughly. THE book to read.Read more
Easy ReadRead more
...More int the Appendix for debugging. Instead, It is a very dry read and no doubt with the number of peculiarities in JavaScript...Read more
...My code is now faster and leaner and much much much easier to follow (and debug if ever necessary) by using up-to-date basic dom methodologies such...Read more
18 customers mention comprehensive, 17 positive, 1 negative
...It's comprehensive albeit a bit boring and dry. But if you wanna some honest knowledge then buy itRead more
Great book as a manual for JS. If your new to JavaScript or an expert it's good to have this book laying around....Read more
Very complete book about the world of Javascript technology not just the language....Read more
A very through bookRead more
17 customers mention suitable for beginners, 10 positive, 7 negative
Easy to follow. An excellent beginner's guide.Read more
I'll say this from the outset, this is not a book for beginners!...Read more
Good reference covered almost every topic in js ,good for beginer or someone who has hands on experience on js, recommend this book to everyone who...Read more
...Not this time. For sure this is not a book for novices but experienced programmers trying to come up to speed on Javascript will probably...Read more
16 customers mention scope, 10 positive, 6 negative
...does not contain a lot of "fluff", it drills down to the core features of the language and how to apply them in your programs....Read more
...about it is my universal complaint about all O'Reilly books: It is too wordy, with too many explanations of obvious stuff....Read more
...What I particularly like about the book are the complete descriptions of the language features and idioms, the chapters about the JQuery library...Read more
...Things I never knew about the language. It really dives into the niche aspects of the language, including closures and higher-order functions....Read more
This books covers a ton!
I'm new to javascript and coding in general, this book goes through everything! I haven't been through all of it.. because it's huge! this is a thick, heavy book full of great information. If you're trying to learn more about Javascript and want detailed information about a variety of topics, get this book! also the format and organization is really friendly to the eyes, I don't have to look around the pages too much to understand what's being taught.
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- AlexReviewed in Canada on August 13, 2015
The best example source of the Javascript Language
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Gustav de DammeReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2018
The ideal book for mastering JavaScript
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Front to BackReviewed in Australia on December 8, 2020
Most Comprehensive Guide
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Alessandro MarchinoReviewed in Italy on December 1, 2013
Excellent book!
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
