JavaScript Introduction: Student Guide

In addition to HTML and CSS, JavaScript represents one of the main tools web developers use to create rich, responsive web and mobile applications. It's use has expanded with the use of jQuery and AJAX and has evolved JavaScript to become much more than just a scripting language used to manipulate the user interface. This coursware is intended for use as a three-day course, or can be used by students who wish to study on their own to learn JavaScript. Readers will learn how to create basic statements in JavaScript, how to declare and use primitive and complex variables and data types (including objects), how to create and use Functions and Expressions and how to match patterns using Regular Expressions. In addition, students will see how to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM), how to handle keyboard and screen events, how to validate form input with JavaScript and how to debug and handle errors in their JavaScript code. This book will help students learn to Use features of the most recent version of JavaScript Use complex and primitive variables and data types Work with Objects in JavaScript Use Regular Expressions for pattern matching Handle and respond to screen and keyboard events Validate form input with JavaScript Cover Page JavaScript Introduction Lesson 1: Introduction to JavaScript Versions of JavaScript Creating your first JavaScript page Scripting Terminology Expression Variable Operators Statement Language Fundamentals Declaring Variables Assigning or Setting Variables Case Sensitive Spacing and Ending Statements Comments Data Types Numeric Variables String Variables Boolean Variables Other Basic Data Types Built-in Objects Math Date User input methods Lesson 2: JavaScript Conditions Conditional Constructs The if Construct Testing Multiple Conditions Exercise 2-1 Using the if construct The switch Construct Exercise 2-2 Using the switch The Conditional (Ternary) Operator Exercise 2-3 Using the ternary operator Lesson 3: JavaScript Loops JavaScript Loops The while Loop JavaScript Labels and Branch Statements Lesson 4: Primitive Data Types The String Data Type String Properties String Methods The Number Data Type Number Properties Number Methods Global Functions Used with Numbers Lesson 5: Compound Data Types Arrays Storing Data in Arrays Array Properties Looping Over an Array Exercise 5-1 Holding data in an array Array Mutator Methods Array Accessor Methods Multidimensional Arrays Objects Storing Data in an Object Accessing Data in an Object Looping Through Data in an Object Creating an Object Method Creating an Object Constructor Arrays of Objects Exercise 5-3 Working with objects Using JSON Syntax to Store Data JSON.parse() JSON.stringify() Lesson 6: Functions Declaring and Invoking a Named Function Returning Values Creating an Anonymous Function Expression Scope Local and Global Variables Function Scope Function Arguments Setting Default Arguments The arguments and this Properties Lesson 7: Regular Expressions Constructing a Regular Expression Creating a Pattern Using Parentheses to Match Substrings Applying Regular Expression Methods Regular Expression Method exec() Regular Expression Method test() Using Regular Expressions in String Methods String Method match() String Method search() String Method replace() String Method split() Backreferences Lesson 8: The Browser Object Model The Browser Object Model The history Object The location Object The screen Object The console Object The window Object's open() and close()Methods Using BOM Methods to Execute Code setTimeout()/clearTimeout() setInterval()/clearInterval() Lesson 9: The Document Object Model The Document Object Model API The document Object The document Object Access Methods Using Selectors to Access Elements Working with DOM Nodes Creating Nodes with the DOM Manipulating CSS with the DOM Lesson 10: Event Handling The event Object Event Handling Traditional Event Registration Registering With addEventListener() Removing the Event Listener Types of Events Mouse Events Keyboard Events Clipboard Events Window Events Form Events Event Methods stopPropagation(); preventDefault() Exercise 10-1 Using events Lesson 11: Debugging and best practices JavaScript Coding Styles Variable and Statement Coding Styles Block Coding Styles JavaScript Best Practices Optimizing Code Performance The "use strict"; Directive The JavaScript debugger; Statement Custom Error Handling Lesson 12: Working with forms Validating Form Data with JavaScript Form Events Checking for Empty Fields Testing for String Length Making Sure a Selection is Made Testing whether the user has checked a box Data Validation with Regular Expressions Index