JavaScript is not as scary as you think.

In my last post I talked about the JavaScript library jQuery. The main focus of jQuery is manipulating the Document Object Model (HTML that makes up a web page). It is wise to learn how to swim in the fundamentals of JavaScript and how the DOM (Document Object Model) works before you dive right into the cold library.

If you think that JavaScript is a scary thing, or have been trying to learn it for some time and have been having some difficulty, I would like to recommend an excellent book for you to read called "DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model" by Jeremy Keith. Here's the description about the book from the DOMscripting website:

"The book is aimed at designers rather than programmers. If you've learned the benefits of Web Standards through CSS and you're now ready to move on to the next level, this is the book for you. It will show you how to add stylish, usable enhancements to your web pages using Web Standards that guarantee future compatibility."

In my opinion this book will take you step by step through everything you will need to know about DOM scripting and ends with you building a website enhanced with JavaScript. You will learn how to use JavaScript for good, not evil, and how to implement it safely so your site is still usable for people who don't have JavaScript enabled on their browser. You will walk away from this book with the basics under your belt, as well as some great code you can use on all your websites.