Editorial Review

Provides a rapid and thorough exposition of the JavaScript programming language, as well as an in-depth reference section covering each JavaScript function, object, method, and even handler. Experienced programmers will quickly find the information they need to start writing JavaScript programs. ... Read more

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Reviews (226)

The one JavaScript book to rule them all...
I'm a technical trainer, and we've decided to distribute this book as part of our Ajax courseware.We've reviewed many other JavaScript books, but we keep coming back to this one.
Best JavaScript Reference!
This is the 5th edition of this almost thousand page book (992), and has been pretty much the gold standard for JavaScript reference books.I have the 4th edition that came out a few years ago and it was worth upgrading to this new 5th edition.
The Bible
It's called "The Definitive Guide" for a reason. Covers everything from simple variables to complex AJAX coding. Beginners may be a bit overwhelmed by it, but I would still recommend any O'Reilly guide as it's the one you'll actually use as your skills increase.. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. JavaScript (Computer program language)    5. Object-oriented programming (Computer science)    6. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    7. Web servers    8. Computers / Languages / Programming    9. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    10. Java & variants    11. JavaScript, Ajax, DHTML, HTML, scripting, css, dom, httprequest,    12. Object-oriented programming (Computer science   

Reviews (16)

Loaded with info, but turns too complicated after a while
I understand that when it comes to javascript, there is a lot of history that needs to be taken into consideration. Browser differences and compatability, etc. are things no javascripter should ignore. However, this book, in my opinion, makes it overly complicated by trying to touch on every little twist there was in the history of javascript.
The Definitive Cross-browser Reference, tho' getting a bit out of date
This is an exhaustive reference text.It documents the full functionality of javascript, indicating which functionality works on which browsers, and is the best of its kind, based on the several texts I have considered.
Superb, complete coverage
Other reviewers have already summarised the book contents, so no point in repeating the message.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books And Software    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. JavaScript (Computer language)    6. JavaScript (Computer program l    7. JavaScript (Computer program language)    8. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    9. Programming Languages - General    10. Computers / Internet / Web Site Design    11. Java & variants   

Reviews (27)

It's more of a beginers book
It describes Javascript as used in web design and not as a separate language. Most Javascript books are like other language guides, you learn the language but have no idea what to do with it. This book is about manipulating the elements (& nodes) of a web page. It's easy to read and understand. After this you can go learn more about Javascript if you need to.

Excellent!
Must have it excellent book. I also recomend CSS Mastery. Great books for library.

Clear and Concise
DOM Scripting by Jeremy Keith gives you a very smooth introduction to JavaScript and the DOM. The books is more directed at those who are just beginning JavaScript or have used it in the past but would like more knowledge.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Design    5. Internet - Web Site Design    6. JavaScript (Computer program language)    7. Programming - General    8. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    9. Programming Languages - General    10. Web site development    11. Web sites    12. Java & variants   

Editorial Review

JavaScript is great, but at best it is a complementary language for Web development. Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. Internet - World Wide Web    6. JavaScript (Computer language)    7. JavaScript (Computer program l    8. JavaScript (Computer program language)    9. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    10. Programming Languages - Java    11. World Wide Web    12. Computers / Internet / General    13. Java & variants   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    5. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    6. Java & variants   

Reviews (11)

An Excellent Buy...
An excellent book -- here's why:
Excellent Resource
What I like about this book compared to others, is that it gives clear concise descriptions. The chapters (or modules) are well thought out and the examples complement what the subject matter is addressing. I've bought other books on JavaScript, and I must say that (as a beginner) this is a treasure. It is exactly what I was looking for and by just reading the first few chapters has given me a great insight into this coding language. To me there is no better book on the market. You won't go wrong to get this book if you want to get a solid foundation in JavaScript. I highly recommend this book.

Great beginner's book
I have no programming experience and am teaching myself JavaScript. I tried a couple of other books, which left me feeling frustrated-even if they were supposed to be for beginners. Desperate, I tried this one and am happy to say that I'm writing small scripts and becoming familiar with all the different options.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Web Programming    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. JavaScript (Computer language)    5. JavaScript (Computer program l    6. JavaScript (Computer program language)    7. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    8. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    9. Java & variants   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Internet General    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - General    5. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    6. Computers / Internet / General    7. Java & variants   

Reviews (30)

Quite simply the best JavaScript book outthere ...
... how do i know this?
Solid overview but lacking in only a few areas
After plowing through the initial stage of immense frustration that most people trying to learn JavaScript do (and finding that there are very few good books on it), I stumbled across this. I was initially surprised by it's length - but don't be intimidated, it's chock full of good, useful content. If you have a little experience with JavaScript, this will take you to the next level and also serve as a very useful reference. I might not have grasped all the techniques at first but I generally had an idea of how to do something or where to look in the book when I sat down to put my thoughts to work. The only qualms I have are with the later chapters on things like client-server communication, JavaScript and XML, and Web Services. They seemed to lack a bit in the example and explanation section. Sure, I learned how to set up a cross-browser method of creating HTTP requests - but the process seemed lacking in the same care and devotion in explaining why I was or providing me with a solid example of how to use it. However, these chapters were still very useful and someone interested in these topics should use them as a springboard (just not the definitive guide). Overall, a solid book on a topic that has few. Kudos to Nicholas C. Zakas.

Excellent Presentation
I think you can find several other JavaScript books that contain the same technical material as this book but this book's strength, in my opinion, is the author's delivery. The author does a very, very good job at explaining and this is what makes this book great. His explanations were very thorough and he seemed to anticipate my questions. I don't usually like the Wrox books but this one is a winner.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. JavaScript (Computer program l    6. JavaScript (Computer program language)    7. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    8. Web site development    9. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    10. Java & variants   

Reviews (6)

Great book to learn how to do JavaScript properly
Up until now, most JavaScript books I have seen have not really described how to be a good JavaScript programmer - most of them have lead by example (which is how many JavaScript programmers I know learnt JavaScript). Unfortunately learning JavaScript by simply viewing other people's code without understanding why it was written the way it was could also lead to learning by bad example.
What a pleasant surprise!
What a pleasant surprise, amongst a development landscape full of JavaScript libraries to actually find: Beginning JavaScript with DOM Scripting and Ajax by Christian Heilmann. To state it boldly, this is the JavaScript book we have all been waiting for (though, John Resig and Jonathan Snook both have books coming). Why? Because the author actually uses modern object oriented (Object Literal) coding principles in the books examples. As well, the book has a progressive enhancement mindset, and explains the difference between several implementations of the same functionality, based on accessibility. All of this is done without the use of a JavaScript library! However, in a way the author provides his own little library of helper functions, which is certainly more digestible than Prototype, Dojo, YUI or jQuery. The author even dedicates the last chapter to third-party examples, which demonstrates the usage of the YUI and jQuery JavaScript libraries.
Good beginners book
JavaScript has had an up-and-down reputation as a developer's tool with promising and creative concepts followed by problems with browser problems and cross-platform variations and a whole host of other problems.But that situation has changed to a great extent due to better browser support, better standards, and more consistent performance across browsers.Combine that with the recent fascination with creative uses of the Ajax techniques and it seems that everyone is getting onto the bandwagon.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Internet General    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Design    5. Internet - General    6. Internet - Web Site Design    7. Internet - World Wide Web    8. JavaScript (Computer program language)    9. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    10. Web site development    11. Web sites    12. Java & variants   

Reviews (9)

A 'must' for any serious Javascript programmer.
James Edwards & Cameron Adams' THE JAVASCRIPT ANTHOLOGY: 101 ESSENTIAL TIPS, TRICKS & HACKS compiles a range of solutions to the most common JavaScript questions and problems, offering up tested solutions, standards-compliant tips, and keys to ensuring JavaScript code is clean, accessible and logical. From the basics of making a drop-down or fly-out menu to making attribute tooltips display on focus, THE JAVASCRIPT ANTHOLOGY is a 'must' for any serious Javascript programmer.
I like it, I like it, I like it....
OK...this book is going under lock and key at my work desk...The JavaScript Anthology : 101 Essential Tips, Tricks & Hacks by James Edwards and Cameron Adams.
VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
Are you involved or interested in building web sites or web applications? If you are, then this book is for you! Authors Cameron Adams and James Edwards, have done an outstanding job of writing a practical book for webmasters who are looking for a copy-and-paste solutions to everyday needs. Adams and James Edwards, begin by providing an overview of JavaScript's capabilities and limitations, and introduce some core best practices that they'll be using through the rest of the book. Then, the authors look at techniques for using and processing numbers in JavaScript. They continue by looking at ways of manipulating strings to find information, storing data, and preparing test for output; as well as, including a thorough introduction to regular expressions in JavaScript. Next, the authors introduce you to one of the most powerful data-storage structures in JavaScript: the array. Then, the authors introduce and explore DOM, and look at how to create and read the data from elements, attributes, and text. Then, they look at reading and writing data from different kinds of form widget, address the tasks of validating and processing form data, and discuss techniques for improving the usability of form-based interfaces. They also take a cautious look at manipulating windows and scripting across frames. Next, the authors introduce cookies and show you how to use them effectively. Then, they show you how to get the date and time in JavaScript, how to compare and process dates and times, and how to output the final data in different formats and conventions. They continue by exploring the basic techniques involved in scripting for images. Next, the authors outline techniques for dealing with different browsers and rendering modes. Then, they look at how to read and write the styles from a single element or group of elements, how to read and write CSS rules to an existing or created style sheet, and how to build a style sheet switcher. The authors also cover event-handling in all its flavors, detecting the position and size of an object, tracking the mouse, and making elements appear and disappear. Next, they look at more complex forms of scripting that use motion and animation. Then, the authors include solutions for the problem of menus overlapping select elements in Windows IE 5 and IE 6. They also provide an overview of the current state of play regarding JavaScript and accessibility. The authors continue by showing you how to detect whether a user has the Flash plugin, and mastering communications between JavaScript and Flash. Next, they delve into the exciting area of online application design, including data retrieved using XMLHttpRequest, as well as the older technique of using iframes. Then, the authors introduce OOP, exploring its core concepts and benefits. Finally, the authors look at everyday techniques for writing faster, more efficient code that's shorter and uses less memory. In this most excellent book, you'll find scripts and discussions that sit on the bleeding edge of current practice. More importantly, you'll find this book a useful and inspirational resource for modern, best practice scripting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    6. Computers / Languages / Programming    7. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    8. Computers/Internet - Web Site Design    9. Java & variants    10. JavaScript, java script, Jscript, AJAX, DHTML, DOM, Document Object Model, css, cascading style sheets, dynamic html   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    6. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    7. Java & variants   

Editorial Review

Suitable for learning basic programming for Web browsers, Read more

Reviews (68)

Complete and easy to follow
My company had bought one copy of several books on JavaScript and everyone started borrowing Beginning JavaScript.So we bought several more!It is complete, easy to follow - for both beginning programmers and experienced programmers new to JavaScript.We were particularly interested in generating XML files.The 'advanced' book we bought didn't cover it, but Beginning JavaScript did.We couldn't be happier with it!

Spectacular
JavaScript is the first programming language that I have ever attempted to learn.This book is making it so easy for me.Paul Wilton lays it out for you, step by step, explaining in layman's terms what each line means and any rules of thumb that are relevant to that line.He doesn't bog you down with detail or obscure exceptions either.I love this book, and I am so lucky to have found it.

Full client side javascript tutorial
This is a perfect book for those who is looking for skills of creating dynamic web pages, though it is a bit outdated now in part of intensive discussion on how to create cross-platform pages for older versions of IE and Netscape.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. JavaScript (Computer program l    5. JavaScript (Computer program language)    6. Programming - General    7. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    8. Programming Languages - Java    9. Web servers    10. World Wide Web    11. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    12. Java & variants   

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Programming - General    5. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    6. Java & variants   

Editorial Review

At 4.5 by 7 inches in size and only 89 pages long, the aptly named Read more

Reviews (17)

Where's the rest?
I realize it's a pocket reference, but this is a brief guide to syntax and then the DOM for the rest of the book. It doesn't cover any of the API stuff like the Date class. It'd be nice to have more information at the price of needing slightly larger pockets.

Moderately good.
I am not a big fan of these 'Pocket Reference' books by O'Reilly.Although I have 8 of them, I find them too brief to be very helpful as a reference.Usually they come up short on many parts of the language.
Missing the Point
If you are new to JavaScript and looking for a helper title, this isn't it.If you're already familiar with JavaScript, and need specific information, you probably need more than an extremely condensed pocket reference is going to provide. There really isn't anything wrong with the pocket reference - it has correct information, formatted pretty well, and contains the most common parts of the core language as well as the common DHTML references one needs for general use.What it doesn't have, and shouldn't for a pocket reference, are complete explanations for the components, or any usage examples - two things needed by people who are turning to a reference book.JavaScript is really too complex to be summarized along with DHTML elements in 127 half-sized pages.If you're looking for a JavaScript reference, purchase the authors full-sized reference guide, "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" (ISBN: 0596000480) instead. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - Web Site Design    5. JavaScript (Computer language)    6. JavaScript (Computer program language)    7. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    8. Programming Languages - Pascal    9. Reference - General    10. Computers / Languages / Programming    11. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    12. Computers/Internet - Web Site Design    13. Computers/Reference - General    14. Java & variants    15. JavaScript, scripting language, Explorer, Netscape, scripting   

Reviews (5)

A good reference for basic techniques
I was looking for some more advanced features than were offered, but it looks like it will be helpful to me moving forward.I build alot of forms in Adobe Acrobat.If you have never done javascript in Acrobat, or have intermediate knowledge, it may be a helpfull book for you.

Great Book!
I love this book! I am a professional graphic designer that does not know how to write any JavaScript. I just wanted to be able to create more dynamic pdf files. The author did a great job explaining the JavaScript used in this book in a way that non programmers can grasp!
A Great Step for Javascript Beginners
I have been making forms in Acrobat since version 3.0, and have a background in Dbase III, Foxpro, Visual Basic .NET, and SQL 2000. However, I never learned Javascript formally or in-depth.
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Subjects:  1. Adobe Acrobat    2. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computer Programming Languages    5. Computers    6. Computers - Languages / Programming    7. File conversion (Computer scie    8. File conversion (Computer science)    9. Internet - General    10. JavaScript (Computer program l    11. JavaScript (Computer program language)    12. Microcomputer Text Processing Software    13. Portable document software    14. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    15. Programming Languages - General    16. Word Processing - General    17. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    18. Java & variants   

Reviews (4)

best book for instant solutions....it come good code
It is very usefull book web developer/designer

Excellent Practical Book
I have to say that this book is excellent from a practical view point - you need some complex JavaScript that you can use in the real world ?Then this is the book for you - want to learn Javascript ?Then look for something else.I gotta say that the first guy who did a review here is a bit of a pratt - it's not called 'learn simple Javascript' !! Of little value
I suppose if you knew all there was to know about Java Script you could get through this book.I, on the other hand could make it to page 140 before I gave up in desperation.Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computer Networks    3. Computer Programming Languages    4. Computers    5. Computers - Languages / Programming    6. Internet - Web Site Design    7. JavaScript (Computer program l    8. JavaScript (Computer program language)    9. Programming - General    10. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    11. Java & variants   

Reviews (6)

Poorly, Poorly Written
This book was a complete disaster in comparison to other books I've used from Thomsons Course Technology.The examples are extremely thin and you will have to use the internet as a resource because much of the tags and code the book leaves out and you have to fend for yourself.I had to buy this book for a class I am taking.Most of it is totally outdated and I can'tbelieve my school is still using it for the Internet Programming class.What a waste of my money.

Very good educational book for learners
Very good educational book for learners. My only complain it does not include sample code CD-ROM; it would most likely catch all the mispelling. But for teaching material its an excellent book to have.

Does not rate a STAR
Very bad examples in this book. Spelling errors, coding errors, you will need to buy other books to figure out what she is trying to teach. She should have read her book before printing it. This book should never have been printed in the first place. Not a good book at all. She provided only part of codes and you have to figure it out yourself. Why do we need her botch attempt at being an author or teacher. SAVE YOUR MONEY on this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Web Programming    2. Computers - Languages / Programming    3. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    4. Basic, Visual Basic & QBasic    5. Computers / Programming / General    6. Databases & data structures    7. Java & variants   

Reviews (4)

JSFL Bible
If you have ever thought of a feature request for Flash then this book is for you. It teaches you how to make your own! Flash MX 2004 is in the title but it's just as useful for Flash 8. This book is worth the price just for the JSFL reference alone.

JavaScript + Flash + Extensions = WOW
This book has gone under the radar based upon its title. It truly does not explain what this book can teach you.
Great book for teaching how to create Extensions
If you are an advanced Flash user, Extending Flash MX 2004 may be just the right book for you. Written by veteran Flash developers Keith Peters (bit-101) and Todd Yard (ego7), this book introduces you to the world of extending Flash MX 2004 by teaching you how to create custom functions and features for the Flash MX 2004 authoring environment.
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Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Web Programming    2. Computer Graphics - Flash    3. Computer Graphics - Game Programming    4. Computers    5. Computers - Desktop Publishing    6. Desktop Publishing - General    7. Internet - Web Site Design    8. Computers / General    9. Internet languages   

Reviews (6)

thorough coverage of the language
The text is a very good and complete explanation of JavaScript. It describes the best usage of JavaScript with the latest common browsers at the time of writing (early 2004). There are numerous examples which express the programming ideas in a simple fashion.
Not a a very good language guide
The book is pleasantly written and easy to read, but unfortunately there are some important ommissions as far as describing the JavaScript language itself.
Outstanding reference and tutorial
As a CIS student with some prior programming experience, I find this 948 page tome both thorough and clearly written. The double table of contents, one brief, and the other very detailed, makes it easy to find what you need. Much attention is paid to cross-browser issues. You could concievably teach yourself JavaScript with this book alone. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: Languages    2. Computers    3. Computers - Languages / Programming    4. Internet - General    5. JavaScript (Computer program l    6. JavaScript (Computer program language)    7. Programming - General    8. Programming Languages - CGI, Javascript, Perl, VBScript    9. Computers / Programming Languages / CGI, JavaScript, Perl, VBScript    10. Java & variants   

Reviews (2)

GreatIntroduction to Ajax
Ajax has hit the bookstores hard the past 6 months and there a lot of books on the market. To try and differentiate them is difficult since it is still a fairly new technology (or implementation of existing technologies actually) and people are trying to understand how to use it and use it properly.
enhanced JavaScript
As an aside, the author embeds humourous throwaway remarks in this text, that are often well worth hunting for and reading for your own amusement.