JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (1996)

I was provided access by O'Reilly Publishing to an electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

This is an updated edition to the classic reference book on Javascript to include new information on new standards (such as HTML5 and CSS3), conventions, and frameworks. Although it is possible to learn Javascript from this book, its really meant more as a reference guide and an explanation of how and why Javascript works the way it does. For example, the 1st chapter explains in some detail how Javascript works on the client side and how each of the following chapters will relate to this. The book includes numerous examples of codes to illustrate the concepts and explains the concepts in a clear, easy to follow fashion that doesn't require a degree in astrophysics to understand.

As I said it's not really a book to learn Javascript from, for that I would recommend something like "Head First JavaScript" (also by O'Reilly press.) What I do really like about this book is that it is comprehensive in what is possible with Javascript. While it may not cover the concept in depth, such as the chapter on Jquery, it does give a starting point to the concept. I know it sounds odd, but I really liked the index. It is completely through and easy to find the concept or word that I need to make something work correctly in whatever I'm writing. It's even better with the book because of the hyperlinks that take you right to the section.

My advice? Buy the ebook version, it's much easier to search and to follow to specific links vs. trying to find the stuff in the print edition. Even better, O'Reilly provides multiple formats of the book to suit your needs. Overall, it's a good handy reference to have around to answer questions and introduce new concepts. ( )

This review pertains to the Kindle edition.

I gave 5-stars to an earlier DTB edition of this book, starts which this edition deserves as well, except for this one thing, which Kindle users should be warned about: the text is laid out for a wider screen than a handheld Kindle and so code examples wrap lines. The author puts code comments in a faux-column, using table to line them up to the right of the code and on a narrow screen the wrapping throws the formatting off so the code becomes difficult to read.

Since this is a code book, that's a big problem.

Install Kindle and load the book on your development workstation, though, and the formatting is clear on the wider screen, so if you can do that I highly recommend the book. As has been true in past editions, Flanagan's writing is first-rate, lively without being lame, and the content is thorough, well-organized, and voluminous. ( )

Douglas Crawford, a JavaScript guru at Yahoo calls this book "the least bad of a very large class of very, very bad books". I believe him. I have not given JavaScript the respect it apparently deserves rather I Frankenstien my code together from the web page source code, web app widgets, open source libraries, and developer APIs. Thus, I have not used this book enough to rate or even review it. I am really using this review as an excuse to put a link to Dougs superb lecture online at http://video.yahoo.com/watch/111593/1710507 , truly entertaining.

I've bought every edition of this book. It's an excellent tutorial as well as an excellent reference. ( )

This was an excellent reference book in it's time, however as JavaScript 1.2 it is a little dated. I still use it and it is still very helpful. I would definitely recommend the updated version of this book for use. ( )