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I own the kindle and paperback versions of this book. An exceptional book!
This is a must have if you are serious about javascript programming. It is NOT a beginner's book and it doesnt waste whole chapters on a beginning javascript tutorial. To read this book, you should already know something about using prototypes and closures in js.
The first part of the book covers basic elements of the language such as types and declarations, for loops etc but this is a more advanced treatment. I learned something in every one of these sections. For example I had never really understood variable hoisting before.
After that the book seems to cover all the topics in Crockford's Javascript The Good parts, but with more explanation. His writing is clear and straightforward. Many software authors really dont know how to write clear English and give rambling, confusing explanations. On the other end of the scale, I found Crockford's book a bit cryptic at times. Why would you do inheritance this way?? Stefanov explains. You don't really need Crockford's book if you have this one. But JS The Good Parts is a classic.
The code examples are short and succint. This is not a cook book, nor a book with apps stretching over pages. In one chapter he does cover a complete app in some detail. But for the most part the code is short easily readable snippets well chosen to make his point. But this is not a code snippet resource. The examples he does give are written for clarity and are not optimized. Nor are they cluttered with code for dealing with special cases. You can find more sophisticated implementations of all these ideas on the web. The goal is to get the core idea.
The last part of the book covers such useful things as deployment, remote scripting and loading which are all very useful.
OReilly is currently offering a special deal where if you buy the kindle version, you can then buy the printed version for $5 !!. Which means you can get both for less than Amazon's price for the book alone. In addition, OReilly allows you to download, for free, unrestricted copies of the book in PDF & Mobi format. This deal is a no brainer. Note: OReilly's price for the ebook is much higher than Amazon's, but if you buy it from Amazon , you still get all these extras.
Cons: Doesn't cover ECMA 5 which is just coming out and includes some significant features and changes. I can't fault the author for that and the book is well worth it anyway. Doesn't discuss memory management which is a significant issue for the current version of JS with circular references causing memory leaks. This problem may go away in the new generation of browsers. Dunno. The book doesnt have a code download site. Even though this is not a cook book, I consider this a serious fault. It's nice to cut and past examples into a JS console and play with them as you read. Kindle for PC does not allow cut and paste. But in mitigation, The author's site has the code for the complete apps. I would have knocked off a star for this but in light of OReilly's generous offer and the fact that I would have rated this book 6 stars, I decided to let it go :)
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Customers say
Customers find this JavaScript book excellent for intermediate to advanced developers, explaining complex concepts in clear detail with well-structured examples. The book approaches the language systematically and is easy to understand, with one customer noting it's particularly useful for day-to-day coding. Customers appreciate the author's expertise, and one review highlights how it compares and contrasts good patterns with anti-patterns.
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73 customers mention content, 68 positive, 5 negative
Great book. Easy read with lots of examples.Read more
Excellent book! Lots of good examples. Some great tips which were immediately useful in my day to day coding.Read more
...It's a good read and reference.Read more
...This is also fantastic book to get to know the recommended ways of doing things in JavaScript, explaining each topic and pattern on well described...Read more
49 customers mention detailed, 45 positive, 4 negative
Good practical advice describing the design patterns to follow when coding JavaScript well as the anti-patterns to avoid....Read more
Grate book, To the point, no talking and teaches you how to write batter JavaScript....Read more
This is an excellent book with balanced pace & insight - easy to understand examples with good key points....Read more
Excellent book! Lots of good examples. Some great tips which were immediately useful in my day to day coding.Read more
24 customers mention readability, 17 positive, 7 negative
...Code I didn't quite understand before was easy to understand after learning about the patterns it was using.Read more
...of few pages you will find the answers you need... nicely written, clear and concise in comparison with 'big reference bibles books'....Read more
...This book is not for beginners but if you are wanting to challenge yourself I think a beginner having a background with at least some computer...Read more
...JavaScript continues to amaze me with it's simple yet powerful abilities; without this book powerful aspects of the language may have completely...Read more
22 customers mention design patterns, 20 positive, 2 negative
JS Patterns is a well-thought out and executed resource that introduces and explains many common, helpful patterns that modern-day web and app...Read more
...And read them in that order: The Good Parts, Patterns, and then High Performance. Here's why:...Read more
...JavaScript i never found out about from online researching-- OOP, design patterns, best practices--in great depth....Read more
...a light bulb above my head from the moment I started reading, chalk full of patterns and anti-patterns for writing/architecting good JavaScript....Read more
14 customers mention writing quality, 14 positive, 0 negative
...This is a precisely and well-written book, and the reader will infer that there must have be a lot of experience, previous history and discussions...Read more
...It is very obvious that the author knows his subject, knows how to write and knows what problems people actually have....Read more
This is one of my all time favorite books. Extremely well written, covers the content in an easy to follow manner, and gives excellent examples....Read more
The author has done a great job in writing this book. For me, this book acted as a bridge that helped me further my JavaScript knowledge....Read more
11 customers mention language, 8 positive, 3 negative
I started out learning JavaScript with this book. It is very clean, concise and progresses in a very logical manner....Read more
...JavaScript programmer can buy to skill up even more in this beautiful language. If you know the basics od JavaScript (syntax, operators, etc.)...Read more
A good read if you want to know why Javascript is a terrible language....Read more
...First off: Everything is explained very clearly and concisely....Read more
11 customers mention usefulness, 10 positive, 1 negative
...I'm very happy with this book and I expect it to be a useful resource for a long time to come. Kudos to the author!!!Read more
...modules, GoF design patterns, and API development that are of immediate practical use....Read more
While useful , this book badly needs an update it was written based on ES5. It is way behind, needs at least an ES6 update....Read more
This book has served as an invaluable tool for software development and will continue to do so for the years to come as the JavaScript ecosystem...Read more
6 customers mention author, 6 positive, 0 negative
...It is very obvious that the author knows his subject, knows how to write and knows what problems people actually have....Read more
...But now I'm sold, and its due to this clear and wise author. Thanks Stoyan.Read more
...Author has done a great job!!Read more
...Stefanov is also a lucid and concise author, clearly illustrating his points about these design patterns; the text is accessible--easy to follow...Read more
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- TanmayaReviewed in India on December 27, 2018
Recommended to all javascript lovers
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
This book explains JS patterns and basic concepts very clearly with examples. Topics are organised so wisely that it will generate interest to read the book. One of my best JS book so far. I recommend to all who has basic JS knowledge.TanmayaRecommended to all javascript lovers
Reviewed in India on December 27, 2018
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- Michael SILVESTREReviewed in France on January 28, 2015
A book that all JS developers should read
Format: KindleVerified Purchase -
R. MoenchmeyerReviewed in Germany on March 6, 2013
Exzellente Lektüre
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase - Paul BarberReviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2015
The focus is upon well designed code and good practices for writing maintainable JavaScript.
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase -
