Best Book/Resource to Improve my JavaScript.

Question

I am having trouble writing code JavaScript code. I work with ASP.Net MVC and send a lot of data back and forth for Ajaxy features. The problem is that this code is becoming hard to manage and messy:

• I need to do similar functions but can't find a decent way to reference methods (such as if they are in different files).
• Methods do not wait until others complete which a design problem I have not encounted before.

It's a mess. Any recommendations?

Answer 1

Javascript is pretty tricky as its pretty easy in the beginning and you can write pretty cool stuff without knowing that much about the language. But then at the same time its very hard to master it (by no means do I master javascript). I would recommend you check out this site. They have some relay good videos about javascript and other front end stuff. I have learned a lot from there.

If you have lots of javascript you should probably try to find a good design pattern that fits you. I guess you are already using some kind of javascript framework, like jquery? If not, you should. For javascript intensive sites I find prototype very suitable. Its a more object oriented framework that I like a lot when you have to handle a lot of javascript.

The problem you describe with methods not waiting for each other happens because you are doing something async, like a ajax call. This can be avoided by using a callback function. Something like this:

function methodThatDoesSomethingAsync(callback) {
    //Do something async like ajax call

    //You use the callback when you have the data you want to return
    if(callback) {
        callback(data);
    }
}

methodThatDoesSomethingAsync(function(data) {
    //Do what you want with the data
});

Answer 2

JavaScript: The Good Parts is a must-read primer by the Granddaddy of JavaScript.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is the best detailed reference guide that separates DOM and JavaScript-as-a-language.

Object-Oriented JavaScript will tell you a dozen different ways to handle your objects and methods in JavaScript.

I've read and enjoyed them all.