I loved HTML at first sight. Then I realized its limitations and started learning PHP. And then, just recently I fancied learning jQuery and found some free resources online.
When I say I learned PHP, I do not necessarily mean I mastered it. I learned just enough to be able to amuse myself as I tweaked my themes and played around with the innards of some plugins in my blog.
Now that I am embarking on learning jQuery, it goes without saying that I may not necessarily be aiming for mastery. Maybe, just enough to be dangerous when I find myself in the midst of jQuery code.
Some folks say that I must learn javascript before starting on jQuery. But leave it to my non-conformist nature to just go ahead anyway and dive into jQuery without benefit of a javascript background. Maybe I’m wrong but I have this understanding that jQuery is supposed to help make me jump ahead with javascript coding without starting from ground zero.
I landed on a resource website called Codecademy.com which offers free online courses like Web Fundamentals, jQuery, Javascript, Python, Ruby, APIs, etc.
I’m now almost done with part 2 of the jQuery Course. That means Parts 3 to 6 are still waiting for me to be devoured soon (if the motivation holds up). In part 2, I’ve learned about functions, selectors and some functional jQuery coding.
If you’re expecting passive learning here, you’d be surprised. You can’t effectively go ahead with the next chapters without typing in the proper codes in the jQuery code box. Kind of reminds me of my Trigonometry class instructor back in high school who has this nasty habit of giving us a short quiz after every lecture session. And here at codecademy, if you make erroneous codes, you’ll be reprimanded with an ‘Oops, you need to insert…’ remark. Well, they were not joking when they said ‘Interactive’!
Though, I’m yet at the early stages of the online course, I know that the entire online course wouldn’t make me a jQuery wizard afterwards as it doesn’t really cover everything. That’s why, this early I have started gathering other resources to complement my learning.
I have, for instance, the following digital info files in my jQuery folder:
- Head First jQuery
- jQuery Cookbook
- jQuery Succinctly
- jQuery Documentation PDF
- jQuery & jQuery UI Documentation
Youtube is in no shortage of jQuery tutorials too. There’s this channel called LittleWebHut which also offers lots of video tutorials, e.g. HTML, Inkscape, etc.
Why Learn jQuery?
Take a look at this site. Click on ‘News/Events’, and then click on the links at the left side of the page. I just love Ajax!
Or, take a peek at dibusoft.com. Click on one of the direction arrows on the picture frame on the upper right of the page. If you like the effect, click it again and again until your forefingers get sore.
But then again, those are just some effects that can be seen immediately on the surface. JQuery can do lots more and takes off where HTML (or PHP) stops.
HTML and PHP just aren’t enough especially when you want to keep up with the Joneses in the webworld. Interactivity is the in thing now and, I supppose, will remain that way forever.
Some guy in a forum said that he traipsed away from javascript when he found out that some users intentionally disable javascript in their browsers. On closer inspection, I learned that those paranoid users actually constitute only around 2% of all users in the US. Other countries have even lower statistics than that. What’s up with these guys? Do they prefer page load waiting time over ajax?
And why the heck would I worry about the preferences of 2% of US readers? Wait, a yahoo page says that 6,000,000 readers compose the 2% of users among 300,000,000 readers who visit their site each month. Ok, that’s one humongous lot of readers.
Well then, when I become the greatest jQuery programmer in the world soon, maybe I’ll just have to design my websites so that javascript-phobic users can still get satisfaction from my sites. But surely, the rest will get the best experience in their browsing when javascript is enabled, like the way I am awed at masterfully designed sites with expert use of proper javascript.
