I have recently begun to throughly enjoy the web 2.0 javascript and ajax style features on various websites. Can anyone recommend a good javascript and ajax book to learn from?
However, if you want to learn more about the ASP.NET AJAX framework I HIGHLY recommend
ASP.NET AJAX In Action
It's nice to understand how the AJAX works behind the scenes and getting a handle on AJAX design patterns is also great knowledge to have. But the ASP.NET AJAX framework makes it all so easy and abstracts most of the complexity away. Also offering built
in support for calling web services from JavaScript which communicate via JSON, its a win-win solution. You'll never look at a postback the same way. One thing you'll definitely get out of reading ASP.NET AJAX In Action is an appreciation for how the UpdatePanel
works and why its not the best solution to rely on in most cases. The UpdatePanel is an easy way of providing AJAX-like behavior, but don't be decieved. It is actually a really clunky solution and can wind up increasing the bandwidth your application uses
and easily overwhelm your server with abundant amounts of requests.
Good luck!!
Remember: mark posts that helped you as the answer to aid future readers
A good book for Microsoft AJAX is "ASP.NET AJAX in Action", by Gallo, Barkol, and Vavilala published by Manning. especially pages 73-108, which covers javascript. This book is all about Microsoft's AJAX framework for ASP.NET don't get it unless you
want to delve in deeply. I'd give it a 90% score. The most annoying thing about it is the constant misuse of words such as architeching and especially leveraging.
Heh Microserfs - leveraging is not a verb. The correct verb to use is "to lever". One does not "leverage" a particular technology - but I could probably agree that one might want to "lever" it. That grates so much on me that I can hardly read those passages
and am forced to deduct 10% from the book's score for abuse of the English language. Shoot the editor.
I'm not sure I've read too many 'good' Javascript books. Most of them are too OTT including Danny Goodman and Flannagan. If you're prepared to root out 2nd-hand books there's a nice Wrox press book called
Javascript Objects:
http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Objects-Tom-Myers/dp/1861001894/ However Danny Goodman's "JavaScript Bible" or the OReilly "Definitive Guide to Javascript" are good reference books. The first and last word on DHTML is Danny Goodman's "Dynamic
HTML: The Definitive Reference (Dynamic Html)".
Member
54 Points
155 Posts
Javascript and AJAX book recommendations
May 09, 2008 08:06 PM|lokus|LINK
I have recently begun to throughly enjoy the web 2.0 javascript and ajax style features on various websites. Can anyone recommend a good javascript and ajax book to learn from?
Contributor
2499 Points
867 Posts
Re: Javascript and AJAX book recommendations
May 09, 2008 10:02 PM|whatispunk|LINK
If you are looking for books about AJAX techniques in general I would recommend either Programmer to Programmer: Professional AJAX and of course Javascript: The Definitive Guide
However, if you want to learn more about the ASP.NET AJAX framework I HIGHLY recommend ASP.NET AJAX In Action
It's nice to understand how the AJAX works behind the scenes and getting a handle on AJAX design patterns is also great knowledge to have. But the ASP.NET AJAX framework makes it all so easy and abstracts most of the complexity away. Also offering built in support for calling web services from JavaScript which communicate via JSON, its a win-win solution. You'll never look at a postback the same way. One thing you'll definitely get out of reading ASP.NET AJAX In Action is an appreciation for how the UpdatePanel works and why its not the best solution to rely on in most cases. The UpdatePanel is an easy way of providing AJAX-like behavior, but don't be decieved. It is actually a really clunky solution and can wind up increasing the bandwidth your application uses and easily overwhelm your server with abundant amounts of requests.
Good luck!!
Why UpdatePanels Are Dangerous
Why You Should Not Place Your Whole Site In An UpdatePanel
Member
92 Points
232 Posts
Re: Javascript and AJAX book recommendations
May 16, 2008 12:44 PM|mark4asp|LINK
A good book for Microsoft AJAX is "ASP.NET AJAX in Action", by Gallo, Barkol, and Vavilala published by Manning. especially pages 73-108, which covers javascript. This book is all about Microsoft's AJAX framework for ASP.NET don't get it unless you want to delve in deeply. I'd give it a 90% score. The most annoying thing about it is the constant misuse of words such as architeching and especially leveraging.
Heh Microserfs - leveraging is not a verb. The correct verb to use is "to lever". One does not "leverage" a particular technology - but I could probably agree that one might want to "lever" it. That grates so much on me that I can hardly read those passages and am forced to deduct 10% from the book's score for abuse of the English language. Shoot the editor.
I'm not sure I've read too many 'good' Javascript books. Most of them are too OTT including Danny Goodman and Flannagan. If you're prepared to root out 2nd-hand books there's a nice Wrox press book called Javascript Objects: http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Objects-Tom-Myers/dp/1861001894/ However Danny Goodman's "JavaScript Bible" or the OReilly "Definitive Guide to Javascript" are good reference books. The first and last word on DHTML is Danny Goodman's "Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Reference (Dynamic Html)".