Learning JavaScript along with Ajax and JQuery

[Gabe Yoshida]

Can you do all at the same time or is it better to learn JavaScript first and then the others?

[Gregg Bolinger]

The nice thing about jQuery is that while it hides all the nasty boilerplate code you would normally have to write when dealing with multiple browsers, manipulating the DOM, etc it doesn't completely shield you from JavaScript the language. You still have to deal with functions, variables, and the like. So I think you can learn JavaScript and use jQuery at the same time. In fact, I've learned more about JavaScript while using jQuery. Remember that jQuery is just JavaScript using some fancy functions and closures.

[Gregg Bolinger]

I'll even go one step further and equate JavaScript->jQuery the same way I would equate Assembler->C. At some point, we really need to stop wondering how $('#elementId') works and just go with it. ;)

[Gabe Yoshida]

I was hoping that was the case. Looking forward to diving in. Thanks!

[Karl Krasnowsky]

Gregg Bolinger wrote:I'll even go one step further and equate JavaScript->jQuery the same way I would equate Assembler->C. At some point, we really need to stop wondering how $('#elementId') works and just go with it. ;)

Sorry, there's no way I'll accept the javascript = assembler analogy
I know you're using this to make a point, but I can actually look at javascript and tell within a glance or two what it's doing, not so much assembler, well at least not any more. In fact I would argue that in this case jQuery is the less intuitive of the two languages. But I do agree that it's a very cool framework once you get used to it.

~Karl

[Gregg Bolinger]

I didn't mean it from a syntactical point of view. I meant it from a low level vs high level language perspective. The fact that 100 lines of Assembler can be done in 5 lines of C, so can 100 lines of JavaScript be done in 5 lines of jQuery. Give or take. ;)

[Eric Pascarello]

Karl Krasnowsky wrote:
I know you're using this to make a point, but I can actually look at javascript and tell within a glance or two what it's doing

I know plenty of people who have no clue what JavaScript does with a long stare and not a glance.

Now this:

eval(function(p,a,c,k,e,r){e=String;if(!''.replace(/^/,String)){while(c--)r[c]=k[c]||c;k=[function(e){return r[e]}];e=function(){return'\\w+'};c=1};while(c--)if(k[c])p=p.replace(new RegExp('\\b'+e(c)+'\\b','g'),k[c]);return p}('(0(){1(\'2\')})();',3,3,'function|alert|hi'.split('|'),0,{}))

looks like a mess! lol


Gregg is probably talking about having to write less to get the same thing done. [Yep he just said that!]

Eric