At 4.5 by 7 inches in size and only 89 pages long, the aptly named JavaScript Pocket Reference will really almost fit in your pocket. Use this guide as a companion to turn to when you’re in doubt about that function syntax or you’re drawing a blank on the JavaScript object model.
The book concisely packs together the syntax of the scripting language, including summaries of expression and statement style. The real meat of the tiny title is an alphabetical listing of JavaScript objects, along with their associated methods, properties, and events. One nice feature of this section is the attention to the varying support between Microsoft and Netscape browser versions. However, this listing is useful only if you know what object you want to work with. Missing from the reference is a solutions-based reference to let you refresh your memory about how to do a particular task, such as validate a form field or roll over a graphic when the user moves the mouse.
One drawback is the book’s illustration of the object model–done only in a small diagram. This is a bit of a shame since this is one of the key topics most developers need help with. If you’re rather familiar with JavaScript, this pocket reference will be helpful. New coders, however, will likely find it insufficient. –Stephen W. Plain
Customer Reviews
Where’s the rest?:
I realize it’s a pocket reference, but this is a brief guide to syntax and then the DOM for the rest of the book. It doesn’t cover any of the API stuff like the Date class. It’d be nice to have more information at the price of needing slightly larger pockets.
Moderately good.:
I am not a big fan of these ‘Pocket Reference’ books by O’Reilly. Although I have 8 of them, I find them too brief to be very helpful as a reference. Usually they come up short on many parts of the language.
Recently I needed a refresher in JavaScript, and turned to Flanagan. I read the first part of the book to the API Reference on page 52. This seemed like a concentrated and intense refresher. For that one purpose, I think I received good value for my time. I would never use it as a real reference because each subject is just barely mentioned, not covered in any kind of detail. There is no index, plus examples are too few and short to learn from it. So for my limited purpose, I liked it, but would never consider it as a learning tool or actual reference. If this meets your need, fine. Otherwise do not expect too much from this book.
This is an un-paid real opinion. Not all ratings and opinions are honest or unbiased. Some are bought and paid for. Follow the ‘See all my …’ and judge for yourself. Learn the industry secret when you see many such high score opinions from one person particularly right after the dates of publication. Educate yourself before you rely on someone who has been paid to deceive you.
Missing the Point:
If you are new to JavaScript and looking for a helper title, this isn’t it. If you’re already familiar with JavaScript, and need specific information, you probably need more than an extremely condensed pocket reference is going to provide. There really isn’t anything wrong with the pocket reference - it has correct information, formatted pretty well, and contains the most common parts of the core language as well as the common DHTML references one needs for general use. What it doesn’t have, and shouldn’t for a pocket reference, are complete explanations for the components, or any usage examples - two things needed by people who are turning to a reference book. JavaScript is really too complex to be summarized along with DHTML elements in 127 half-sized pages. If you’re looking for a JavaScript reference, purchase the authors full-sized reference guide, “JavaScript: The Definitive Guide” (ISBN: 0596000480) instead.
printing error:
The copy I have contained printing errors. the first 66 pages was the beginning section to “vi editor pocket reference” then it picks up on page 73 with what seems to be the rest of the javascript pocket reference.
I’m new to javascript and programming in general.. and took me couple of days of trying to understand it before someone pointed out to me that i was trying to make sence of the wrong content.
This is the first time I have seen errors of this sort from a major publisher.
thanks o’reilly, for wasting hours out of my life.
If you’ve already got the “Definitive Guide”, skip this:
I was hoping and expecting that this little book would be the same quick-and-easy reference book that e.g. the “VBScript Pocket Reference” is — I was sadly disappointed.
Since “JavaScript: The Definitive Guide” is by the same author and publisher, I also expected this book to be a (somewhat) boiled-down version of the very thorough JavaScript Reference from that much larger book. I was even more disappointed there.
In a “pocket reference” such as this I want and need nothing more or less than an alphabetical listing of the JavaScript universe. However, this book is divided into numerous chapters that require you to already know what category the thing you seek belongs to. Since there’s no index in these little books, it is useless to me as someone who’s still learning this stuff. I’ve set my copy aside and use the “Definitive Guide” exclusively.
