Product Description

What is this book about?

JavaScript is the language of the Web. Used for programming all major browsers, JavaScript gives you the ability to enhance your web site by creating interactive, dynamic, and personalized pages. Our focus in this book is on client–side scripting, but JavaScript is also hugely popular as a scripting language in server–side environments, a subject that we cover in later chapters.

What does this book cover?

Beginning JavaScript assumes no prior knowledge of programming languages, but will teach you all the fundamental concepts that you need as you progress. After covering the core JavaScript language, you′ll move on to learn about more advanced techniques, including Dynamic HTML, using cookies, debugging techniques, and server–side scripting with ASP. By the end of this book, you will have mastered the art of using JavaScript to create dynamic and professional–looking web pages.

Here are a few of the things you′ll learn in this book:

• Fundamental programming concepts
• Comprehensive practical tutorial in JavaScript
• Cross–browser scripting, including Netscape 6
• Cookie creation and use
• Plug–ins and ActiveX controls
• Dynamic HTML
• Scripting the W3C DOM
• Server–side JavaScript with ASP

Who is this book for?

This book is for anyone who wants to learn JavaScript. You will need a very basic knowledge of HTML, but no prior programming experience is necessary. Whether you want to pick up some programming skills, or want to find out how to transfer your existing programming knowledge to the Web, then this book is for you. All you need is a text editor (like Notepad) and a browser, and you′re ready to go!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #466944 in Books
• Published on: 2000-12-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1006 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Javascript is the only scripting language that runs in all the leading Web browsers, making it an essential part of the Web developer's tool kit. The language itself is not especially difficult to learn, but it becomes more challenging when you include related topics such as HTML forms, dynamic HTML and cross-browser compatibility. Beginning JavaScript, which is suitable for beginning or intermediate programmers, covers all these topics and more to provide a complete Javascript handbook.

Early chapters cover language basics, such as data types, functions, conditions and loops, string handling, and programming with objects. The authors explain how to control the Web browser by programming its object model, and how to combine scripts with forms. There is a guide to debugging with Netscape and Microsoft Internet Explorer, and a chapter on using cookies to store user preferences.

A substantial part of the book is focused on Dynamic HTML and how to write scripts that control the content of the page. There is a clear explanation of the DOM (document object model), as specified by the W3C Web standards group. Finally, there is a look at extending browser capabilities with ActiveX controls or plug-ins, and server-side scripting with Active Server Pages, including database access. Several appendixes offer a language reference and object models for Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator 4.0. Sadly Netscape 6.0 is not covered, but it is not quite as bad as it sounds since Netscape 6.0 closely follows the official DOM. --Tim Anderson

From the Publisher
This book is for anyone who wants to learn JavaScript. You will need a very basic knowledge of HTML, but no prior programming experience is necessary. Whether you want to pick up some programming skills, or want to find out how to transfer your existing programming knowledge to the Web, then this book is for you. All you need is a text editor (like Notepad) and a browser, and you're ready to go!

From the Author
Beginning JavaScript programming, lots of practical examples
This is not an academic text nor one of those clever tricks books that leave you knowing nothing about the language and lost when trying to create your own clever tricks. Instead its a practical book on JavaScript and web programming written by someone who actually uses this stuff everyday.

It covers all the theory when its needed but its main aim is not discussion but doing and so it couples an understanding of the fundamentals of programming with lots of practical real world examples. By the time you've read the book you'll have all the knowledge you need to head off on your own and create sophisticated web sites and your own clever tricks.

As well as covering all the basics the book also goes further to cover topics often missing from some other beginner books such as server-side scripting, database programming, regular expressions and scripting with browser plus-ins and ActiveX controls...

Customer Reviews

If you don't get it after this, give up!
If you know nothing about JavaScript but want to, this book is for you. You couldn't ask for a more gentle approach to the language. The author has gone out of his way to teach you the language without intimidating readers with technical jargon. Programmers will find it possibly over simplified but it does say BEGINNER on the cover.
You may find an alternative equal, but you will struggle to find a better book for first timers!

Brilliant. An exhaustive reference that does not overawe.
I have found this book to be fantastic in every sense. I had previously had a little experience in JavaScript, but the book starts right at the beginning, and walks you through plenty of examples, which are broken down into small chunks, where the author explains the purpose of each part.

As you go through the book, exciting topics such as Server Side Scripting and accessing Access databases from Javascript are, again, explained in the finest detail.

Paul Wilton deserves every credit for a well written book that will have you up and running in no time.

If it's JavaScript your after, look no further.
I bought this book four days ago, with no prior knowledge of JavaScript (apart from the odd snippet for rollover buttons etc) and now I feel like I know the language inside out (well the client-side stuff so far).

I have been amazed and excited by the ease with which one can create functionality I thought I'd never see in a browser.

If your looking to learn JavaScript, don't waste your time trying to decifer snippets from other web-sites, or even looking for another JavaScript book...

Buy "Beginning JavaScript" today!!!