JavaScript is a powerful scripting language that can be embedded directly in HTML. It allows you to create dynamic, interactive Web-based applications that run completely within a Web browser; you don't have to do any server-side programming, like writing CGI scripts. JavaScript is a simpler language than Java. It can be embedded directly in Web pages without compilation, so it is more flexible and easier to use for simple tasks like animation. However, although you can write reasonably robust and complete Web applications using JavaScript alone, JavaScript is not a substitute for Java. In fact, JavaScript is a good client-side complement to Java; using the two together allows you to create more complex applications than are possible with JavaScript alone. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide provides a thorough description of the core JavaScript language and its client-side framework, complete with sophisticated examples that show you how to handle common tasks, like validating form data and working with cookies. The book also contains a definitive, in-depth reference section that covers every core and client-side JavaScript function, object, method, property, constructor, and event handler. This book is an indispensable reference for all JavaScript programmers, regardless of experience level. This third edition of JavaScript: The Definitive Guide describes the latest version of the language, JavaScript 1.2, as supported by Netscape Navigator 4 and Internet Explorer 4. The book also covers JavaScript 1.1, which is the first industry-standard version known as ECMAScript. The new features of JavaScript 1.2, which are likely to be embodied in a later ECMAScript standard release, are clearly indicated, so that you can use them as appropriate in your scripts.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  February 18 2001
Submitted by Bruce Judd   [Respond | View]

My thanks to Mr. Flanagan for a job very well done. This reference has been most helpful as I have started using JS in my internet and intranet pages. Experience with C, PERL, and other languages helps, especially when the author compares JS behavior with these other languages. I also appreciate the repeated notes regarding the differences between JS versions and the different levels of support by NS and IE - very helpful to ensure the resulting pages will work correctly for the maximum number of visitors. It appears the book is written for the reader with a good foundation in programming and HTML - perfect.

The quality of the book and its included JS reference is excellent - on a par with Larry Wall's Perl Reference or M. Strebe's Win NT reference.

View the results at My company site<g>


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  January 11 2001
Submitted by Mike   [Respond | View]

This book is deceitful: it looks too big to be useful. Yet there

is no other source of information that so concisely addresses

JavaScript language. The comparisons the author frequently

makes to C/C++/Java/Perl are most welcome. After reading this book

I wrote a non-trivial javascript web application that I could not

have imagined writing prior to reading this book.

This book is a unique resource just as JavaScript is a unique

language from the usual mix of C/C++/VB/Java/Perl. This book

describes a language to control both IE and Netscape in ways

that nothing else can.

I highly recommend it.

-------------

Mike


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  December 30 2000
Submitted by Bruno Mairlot   [Respond | View]

A MUST HAVE

The title of the book says all ! This is the defenitive one-and-only book to have if you are serious about JavaScript. If you're not, then you should still have it.

It is precise, plainly written, and extremely accurate.

Macromedia use it as their reference for DreamWeaver and UltraDev references.

I have never encountered a problem that wasn't explained or solutioned in this book.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  December 29 2000
Submitted by Perry Sakkaris   [Respond | View]

If you ever want to be a serious JavaScript programmer this is the book that you must read. It has a wealth of information both for the core language and also for the client-side part of the language. It has a lot of examples which are the building blocks for truly understanding a subject. The part that I love most is that the writer compares JavaScript with other languages so when you are through with the book you also have an idea of how Java and C++ work.

The only down side of this book is that it has no excersises (which I think are necessary for truly mastering a language) so if anybody knows where I can find some good exercises please e-mail me at perry_sakkaris@hotmail.com.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  September 21 2000
Submitted by Eli Lato   [Respond | View]

Excellent book! We all use it at the office, and I use it at home to teach my son javascript.

It's well-written, useful, and Flanagan's knowledge is awesome. It's one of the few technical books I've seen that has well-written code.

One microscopic criticism: I needed an example of javascript assigning an onSubmit handler, and couldn't find the format of the handler.

A must-buy!


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  September 21 2000
Submitted by Tom Besser   [Respond | View]

This book cuts right through the hype surrounding most JavaScript texts and gives you the essential tools to put your own creativity to work. I strongly recommend it.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  September 04 2000
Submitted by Paul Hirth   [Respond | View]

The first half of the book is very readable and well sprinkled with examples. If I had a complaint about the book it would be that the author presumes the reader knows a fair amount about sophisticated javascript techniques in his examples. However, in working through the examples, I have learned quite a bit.

The second half of the book is an excellent reference manual that I find myself consulting when ever I need in depth knowledge of options.

I am a lower level journeyman writer of Javascript, but would recommend this book to beginners, journeymen, and experts.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  March 02 2000
Submitted by Tracey Uhler   [Respond | View]



Being that I am not a programmer, but have become hooked on JavaScript, I was looking for a good book on the subject that was not over my head. This one fits the bill. It clearly explains the language so that anyone can understand.
My only problem has been with the example of a loan payment calculator (figure 1-3) on page 16. I went ahead and typed it up so that I could play with it and hopefully learn by example. I adapted it and came up with a mortgage calculator that works great in explorer but returns an infinity value in Navigator. I have looked at the code until my eyes cross and just can't figure out why it works on one platform and not the other. (It probably doesn't help that I failed high school math.) There is an example of my calculator at http://www.geocities.com/padme67/uhlercalc.html
I have several of the O'Reilly books now and have yet to be dissapointed!
Thanks


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  July 19 1999
Submitted by Janne Hyötylä   [Respond | View]



This book is FANTASTIC! I had only a little programming exprerience with Visual Basic. But I never had problems to understand things that David explained in the book. And the Reference Section has to be on every JavaScript serious programmer's table!


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  June 27 1999
Submitted by Dave Demko   [Respond | View]



JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is outstanding. If you have some programming background (even a little) and you want to understand how JavaScript works and what it can do, this is the book of choice. Unlike so many "steal this code" type JavaScript guides, this book combines clear explanations of the basics, notes on JavaScript versions and browser compatibility, and a superb reference section.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  June 12 1999
Submitted by Adam Dingle   [Respond | View]



JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is just fantastic. It is the only JavaScript book I've seen which clearly separates the definition of the language itself (covered in Part I) from the classes used to embed JavaScript in Web browsers (covered in Part II). It also covers many subtle points of JavaScript programming very clearly, including prototypes, the scope chain, nested functions and garbage collection. Furthermore, the book points out a number of bugs in existing browser implementations and has an excellent reference section. I can't recommend this book highly enough for anyone who already has a fair amount of experience programming in other languages and wants to learn JavaScript.

If you are learning JavaScript as your first programming language, however, this is probably not the best book for you, since the writing style is probably too technical for beginning programmers and the book pays a lot of attention to subtle details which may be overwhelming to those without programming experience.


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  May 19 1999
Submitted by Mark Bosley   [Respond | View]



If you are a serious VISUAL BASIC programmer and you want to make the jump to client-side web programming, you need to study this book.
Just in the area of functions alone, you will never understand how functions in JavaScript differ from functions in VB (e.g functions as a first-class data type, function literals, etc.) by just reading tutorials or looking at code here and there.
You won't understand these things, unless you have David Flanagan explain it to you.



JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  March 10 1999
Submitted by O. Toivola (Finland)   [Respond | View]



I have read half of the 3rd edition now and I think
it's excellent! Earlier I read some of my programming
books in Finnish and they left a lot of holes in my mind. ;)
After this I will never do it again! That's for sure! Thanks, David!


JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 3rd Edition Review,  February 17 1998
Submitted by Tracey Uhler   [Respond | View]



I just wanted to commend the O'Reilly company and David Flanagan. After writing the comment below about a problem I was having with a script, some of the O'Reilly staff notified David Flanagan who then emailed me with the solution to my problem. I was absoutely thrilled and surprised. If you haven't bought this book yet, what are you waiting for!
Thank you again to David :)