DOM Scripting: Web Design with JavaScript and the Document Object Model

When a Javascript/DOM book: 1) ..starts by introducing Javascript and it's syntax instead of jumping into DOM immediately. 2) ..Explains every single bit of code in a simple language. 3) ..uses simple and easy-to-follow code. 4) ..Starts a chapter with a very simple program and build on it as you read. 5) ..lets you put up your first useful/practical Javascript script in a few hours. 6) ..encourages you to 'understand' the code instead of 'memorizing' it 7) ..is written by Jeremy Keith ..Then you know it's worth every single cent you spend on it. I have nothing to say here except that if you're someone who knows nothing about Javascript/DOM and is willing to learn it, then you really shouldn't miss this book. But If you're an intermediate or advanced Javascript/DOM coder, then buying this book is not a good idea. It was solely made for begginers.

There's been a lull in the past couple years with JavaScript books. Even though there are many sites that use DHTML and DOM scripting, there never was any books that really explain how to do these very useful and cool effects. Plenty of websites to download and copy code, but nothing that really explains how to do it. UNTIL NOW!!! The moment I start reading the first chapter, I knew I would finally learn what DOM scripting really meant. I've read through many basic JavaScript books from different publishers but all of them just briefly described how the DOM worked in one brief chapter. The whole DOM Scripting book talks about it. The first 2 chapters are a brief refresher course of the JavaScript basics, and then the 3rd chapter starts in with the DOM. After a thorough explanation of what it is and how it can be used, the next chapters go through various projects in reviewing how it can be used in real life web design. There are eight chapters that explain and show you how DOM scripting can be used. The final chapter talks about the future of scripting and gives examples of AJAX--a great bonus! I highly recommend this book to anybody who wants to take their JavaScript code to the next level. It's also a great book to help would-be AJAX programmers as well. Since you have to have a very good understanding of DOM to create AJAX applications.

I've been working with and writing JavaScript for several years now. Additionally, I've been following the practices that this book espouses for the last year or so. I didn't expect to learn an incredible amount from this book, but I was wrong. While I already understood most of the concepts, Mr. Keith explained them with unrivaled clarity. This book is nothing short of a revolution in educating developers about the true potential of DOM Scripting (JavaScript). Mr. Keith does an excellent job setting the stage, explaining the landscape, and showing how and why the old ways are no longer acceptable. At the same time, he clearly illustrates that client-side scripting can be both advanced and accessible at the same time by deftly explaining the concepts of progressive enhancement and graceful degradation in parallel with concise and easy to understand code samples. This book is an absolute must for anyone that wishes to take JavaScript seriously. A definitive reference guide may make you aware of the tools you have at your disposal, but this book will show you how to really use those tools and achieve the best possible results. Whether you're just get started with scripting or have been using it for years, this is a book that should be in your library.

Over Thanksgiving break, I was able to set aside some time to get reading done that I have been putting off for awhile. I have just finished reading the tome of knowledge entitled DOM Scripting, and have to say that I was very pleased with this book. It is written by Jeremy Keith, who is one of, if not the leading expert in JavaScript and the Document Object Model. The forward to the book is done by Dave Shea, curator of the popular site CSS Zen Garden. In the case of highly technical subjects, documentation is usually quite widespread. Most programming textbooks will tell you what you need to know, in some way or another. The thing I like about this one is the way in which Jeremy presents the information. He uses everyday, practical examples of JavaScript, such as making an interactive photo gallery. I also like how he does not tout JavaScript as the end-all solution for web design. In several cases, he will show how to do something with JavaScript, and then gives a more simple example of how it would work with CSS. He makes mention of how simple image roll-overs need not be handled by JS anymore, because of the CSS a:hover handles it better and with less code. This book relates to the reader in a manner that assumes a shared basic knowledge of XHTML and CSS. It is full of examples of selecting nodes via the getElementByTag method, not unlike the way CSS interacts with the DOM. For instance, with CSS every H1 in a document can be given a certain style. By using JavaScript, you can affect these by changing color, margin or padding directly. Jeremy gives examples of how instead of re-defining these types of things with JS, you can simple assign a different class name to them, and control the styles via CSS, the way you normally would. He also shows how to impliment current-page indicators in a navigation system, but conceeds that things like this are better handled with server-side scripting. It is refereshing to see an author who is humble about his area of expertise, presenting it as a piece of a larger system, and showing areas in which it might not be the best fit for the task at hand. I could go on and on, but I think that if I give away too much, that might be giving you the book for free. So, take my advice: If you are wondering what all this DOM / AJAX buzz is, then go get this book. It will give you a solid handle on the underlying principles of the DOM, and show you how to use a combination of JavaScript and CSS to best manipulate behavior within your webpages.

This book is directed toward scripters at the beginning and intermediate level. This is also a very good book for the veteran scripter who wants to re-tool as DOM-based techniques take hold. I think Jeremy Keith takes the best road when he launches directly into DOM methods and objects, only mentioning the older ways for completeness. Most often, JavaScript books do the opposite -- mentioning DOM scripting only as an advanced art. But why learn the older ways when you must unlearn them later? The author focuses on teaching correct methods and approaches, often taking the long way around to make it easier to see the larger picture. This requires a lot of forethought and organization on the part of an author and here the material excels. I don't think anyone will trip up following this guide through the Web script jungle. The author also avoids the unbearable humor and cutesy language encountered so often in tech books. Thank you Mr. Keith! This is good, clear writing to go with good, clean scripting. Quibbles: I think the author should have been more concerned with compatibility issues, esp. with IE6, the decrepit but still dominant browser. For instance, on pp 200-01, he recommends using the setAttribute() method to set a class but does not mention that IE improperly demands "className" as a parameter. His snippet would fail in IE. The chapter on CSS scripting was good but barely scratched the surface, not mentioning a bunch of cool scriptable objects. Overall, this book is a worthy tool that should be welcomed by the target audience.