can I learn and use jQuery with just basic Javascript experience ?

Question

Hello again , I've tried to find an answer here before I submit this Q , but they weren't addressing the problem I have ! I'm wondering if I can code all of my scripts using jQuery, I already have a good background in programming and a good understanding of basic/intermediate javascript ( variables , variable scope , objects ,closures) .. but I've faced a lot of incompatible / unreliable issues when I tried to make user interface stuffs , like ,for example, menus and special effects , in pure javascript, additionally , there are few tutorials to coding them in Javascript / or very old that authors didn't take modern browsers in their consideration.

So , the question is , is it bad to learn how to do this stuffs , like , as I 've mentioned , special effects , hm , maybe table sorting as well, using jQuery instead of learning the bits of code that bring that alive :-) [bad English , I know ;-) ] with pure javascript ! does that make me a low class javascript programmer when my employer knows that i only can do it only with jQuery but not javascript :) !

I have previously addressed a similar problem in a question ,but I missed adding this extra inquiry! Thanks you in advance.

[edit]: yes , jeffamaphone , I consider my self an intermediate javascript programmer , thank you for your extremely fast reply!

Answer 1

Yes you can. Doing it in JQuery isn't bad. Everyone uses some sort of Javascript library. I love JQuery. Your odds of making things that work in all browsers go up quite a bit, you get the UI done quicker, etc.

Though having a bit of Javascript knowledge is good, because when things go wrong you want to be able to debug the problem.

JQuery.com has lots of good tutorials.

Answer 2

You really should use jQuery; it will allow you to spend more time adding features instead of trying to make your code work in every browser (Note that even jQuery is not a silver bullet; you'll still have some cross-browser headaches in any non-trivial web app, especially if you need to support IE6).

There's no point in turning your back on new tools and libraries just to "stay close to the metal".

If you're afraid of lowering your value in your boss' eyes, look at it a different way. Would you prefer to hire a programmer who spends all of his time working around browser bugs, or a programmer who uses jQuery and finishes his projects faster because of it? Remember that managers are trying to ship products and make money, not simply hire elite programmers.

Answer 3

Personally I was recommended to learn JS before learning jQuery. But started off with jQuery, and can make pretty much with it without to much JS experience. What you do need to know of JS you can just google it and learn it when needed ;)

jQuery is fantastic for us that doesn't take the time to learn everything about JS

Answer 4

Personally, until the beginning of this year, I used to limit my use of javascript to only helping aid the user with things like web forms.

However, after playing around with jQuery for no more than a few days, I realised how much easier it made achieving javascript effects and functionality. Now I pretty much use jQuery on most web pages, a lot of the time, just to add nicer UI effects.

A background knowledge of raw javascript will never go amiss and you will almost certainly still have to mix it in with your jQuery scripts, but when you run into troubles, nearly every problem I've had, had a solution already posted on Stack Overflow or just on Google.

Answer 5

Not a very technical answer, but as an intermediate programmer, and javascript newbie I've had no problems learning to work with jQuery. The documentation and community are very helpful.

Answer 6

I think you should set yourself a goal of knowing javascript well enough to be able to author a plugin if you need it in your favorite framework. While using a framework is almost always the right way to go, there will be times when you can't find a plugin that does exactly what you need. At that point you need to know javascript well enough to be able to adapt a plugin to your needs or write your own.