Overview

The JavaScript language might be the most widely used programming language in the world and is the standard programming language for developing browser-based web applications. Any end-user platform that provides a standard web-browser is potentially a platform upon which a JavaScript language-based application can run. There are many server-side programming technologies, but they exist to serve the JavaScript language as the runtime logic to be run on the client-side. Modern JavaScript programs developed for a web browser platform (commonly referred to as Web 2.0 applications) can be used to provide rich functionality that has traditionally been associated with desktop applications. This class explains the JavaScript language in terms familiar to a Java technology developer, or a developer familiar with other object-oriented languages, such as C++.
 

Course Length

• 4 hours

Languages

• English

 
Who Can Benefit

• Java developers who create web applications and web application developers familiar with other object-oriented languages

Prerequisites

• Write Java applications
• Write a simple web page using HTML

 
 
Skills Gained

• List significant differences between the syntax and semantics of the JavaScript language and the Java language
• Avoid bugs caused by ignorance of the differences between objects in the prototype-based JavaScript language and the class-based Java language
• Use Object Literals to bring best practice techniques of object-oriented programming to your JavaScript code
• Use constructor functions, instead of class files, to dynamically change the behavior or structure of any object in your JavaScript program
• Leverage prototypal inheritance to mutate objects, including the standard built-in objects, even after they have been instantiated
• Increase the performance and efficiency of your JavaScript code
• Recognize a closure in JavaScript code and explain when you should use a closure

 
Related Courses

Before:

• Java Programming Language (SL-275)
• Web Component Development with Servlet and JSP Technologies (SL-314)

 
 
Course Content

Module 1 - Overview of the JavaScript Language

• Discuss the history of the JavaScript language and its place in web-based application development
• List multiple implementations of the JavaScript Runtime Engines
• Describe the strengths and weaknesses of the JavaScript language as compared to the Java programming language and other popular programming languages

Module 2 - JavaScript Objects

• Differentiate between a native, built-in and a host object
• Create a new instance of a JavaScript object
• Add new properties to a JavaScript object
• Use Object Literal Notation
• Access Object properties using dot notation and associative array notation
• Create a new instance of a String using formal syntax and Object Literal Notation
• Use the String Length property
• Use the String concatenation operator
• Create a new instance of an array using formal syntax and Object Literal Notation
• Describe how an array's length does not reflect the actual contents of the ArrayCreate instance of a multidimensional array

Module 3 - JavaScript Functions

• Describe functions as JavaScript objects
• Distinguish between the properties of a Function object, and the variables in a Function body
• Discriminate between a Function reference and a Function call
• Describe the unique definition of a method in the JavaScript language
• Use Constructors to create new instances of customized JavaScript objects
• Describe the basic steps to instantiate new JavaScript objects
• Identify which object instance the keyword "this" refers to during the execution of a constructor
• Describe how inheritance in JavaScript is different from inheritance in Java technology
• Use prototypal inheritance to add functionality to objects of a specific type in your program after they have been instantiated
• Determine the scope of any variable in a JavaScript program
• Describe how each function call creates a new activation object for storing the instances of local variables
• Identify when a closure is created in JavaScript code
• Distinguish between a JavaScript scope change and the call stack used in the Java language

Module 4 - The Document Object Model (DOM)

• Describe the relationship between the JavaScript language and the Document Object Model (DOM)
• Identify categories of DOM methods and properties
• Use DOM methods to access parts of a web page
• Use DOM properties to retrieve information about items in a web page
• Use DOM methods to change the structure of a web page
• Use DOM methods to insert or delete items from a web page
• Discuss the usefulness and the potential problems with using the innerHTML property
• Discuss the purpose of cascading style sheets in the context of HTML and the JavaScript language
• Distinguish between W3C-sanctioned DOM objects and those established by convention

Module 5 - Lab Files