JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

Front Cover
O'Reilly, 1998 - Computers - 776 pages

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 Guideprovides 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 ofJavaScript: The Definitive Guidedescribes 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.

From inside the book

Contents

ummuters 6
6
Core JavaScript
25
Data Types and Values
34
Copyright

28 other sections not shown

Common terms and phrases

About the author (1998)

David Flanagan is a computer programmer who spends most of his time writing about JavaScript and Java. His books with O'Reilly include Java in a Nutshell, Java Examples in a Nutshell, Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, and JavaScript Pocket Reference. David has a degree in computer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives with his wife and son in the U.S. Pacific Northwest bewteen the cities of Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. David has a simple website at http: //www.davidflanagan.com.

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