CMPS 262: Advanced Programming
Introduction
Up to this point, we have exclusively used plain JavaScript. This will change now and make our lives a lot easier. Specifically, we are going to use jQuery to make changes to the DOM which turns out to be much more straightforward and works across browsers. jQuery is a JavaScript library and can be used to modify the DOM, including changing CSS as well as adding interactions through event handlers. The benefit of jQuery is that it provides a nice and uniform interface that is much easier to remember than the standard JavaScript interface to interact with the DOM.
jQuery is used by many of the most popular sites because of its small footprint and ease of use. For example, some animations are provided by default and are easy to embed into HTML. jQuery is also convenient when building menus and navigation and can be used to create single page apps.
Module Objectives
- Use the jQuery library for development
- Create interactive elements using jQuery such as buttons and links
- Implement a functioning navigation bar using jQuery
- Add, change, and remove DOM elements dynamically with jQuery
- Style elements with jQuery CSS
Learning Resources
- Study Chapters 1 through 20 in A Smarter Way to Learn jQuery
- Consult other chapters on a need to know basis
- When desired, work through the online exercises (see here)
Learning Activities
- Readings
- Discussion Board
- Programming Project
For Further Study
- The jQuery website
- Read more about jQuery on Wikipedia