Introduction to JavaScript Training

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This course enables delegates to use JavaScript as their primary language within the development of single page web applications that interact with RESTful services. There is extensive coverage of both the object-oriented and functional aspects of JavaScript, and in particular how the two can be used to compliment one another. Throughout the course delegates learn the best practices for applying each language feature, as well as the numerous pitfalls and anti-patterns to be avoided.

The duration of the course and depth of material covered can be adjusted based on the audience. For junior developers the course is delivered over 4 days and has a strong focus on basic concepts. For senior developers the course can be delivered over 3 days and will include extra detail on how to make the most of JavaScript’s functional features.

Delegates should have previous programming experience (from university and/or industry) in one or more of Java, C#, C++, Perl, Python and Ruby.
It is recommended that delegates have access to ‘JavaScript The Good Parts’ for course preparation and follow up work. ‘Effective JavaScript’ by David Herman is also highly recommended.

Introduction to JavaScript

How JavaScript began and grew in respectability
JavaScript as the ‘assembly language of the web’
Features supported in different versions of JavaScript
Cross-browser issues and JavaScript frameworks
The relationship between Java and JavaScript
CoffeeScript as a better syntax for JavaScript
TypeScript as JavaScript with strong typing
Dart as a potential replacement for JavaScript
An overview of server-side coding with Node.js

Basic JavaScript Programming

The core JavaScript types and dynamic typing
Explicit and implicit variable declarations
Implicit conversions and the bugs they can cause
Minimizing your programs use of global variables
Using typeof and instanceof to investigate types
The lack of block scope and ‘variable hoisting’
Understanding truth and equality in JavaScript
Making choices, basic iteration and the for…in loop
Manipulating strings and applying regular expressions
Working with single and multi-dimensional arrays
The difference between arrays and ‘array-like’ objects

Writing Functions in JavaScript Part 1

How and why functions are ‘first class citizens’
Four patterns of invocation for calling JavaScript functions
Understanding the binding of this in functions
Calling functions with fewer parameters or additional ones
Creating variadic functions using the arguments array
Passing functions as arguments into other functions
Building and returning functions from functions

Writing Functions in JavaScript Part 2

Using generated functions as closures
Why closures store references to outer variables
Subtle bugs caused by incorrect use of closures
Using nested functions as an encapsulation technique
What’s an ‘immediately invoked function expression’ (aka IIFE)?
How IIFE’s are used in the JavaScript Module Pattern
Understanding the Asynchronous Module Definition (AMD) spec

Functional Programming with ‘Underscore.js’

Using functions as the unit of composition
Replacing external iteration with each, filter and map
Producing a single value from a list via folds and reduction
Applying currying and partial application in JavaScript
Writing recursive functions and the Trampoline Principle

Object Orientation in JavaScript Part 1

Understanding the prototype based style of OO
Pros and cons of ‘monkey patching’ built in types
Declaring objects using the Object type
Declaring objects using the literal syntax
Declaring objects using constructor functions
Protecting against incorrect constructor invocation
Different options for accessing members of objects

Object Orientation in JavaScript Part 2

Implementing inheritance using the prototype chain
Distinguishing between owned and inherited properties
The difference between prototype and proto
Minimizing mutable state when designing JavaScript types
Applying the SOLID principles of OO design in JavaScript
GoF Design Patterns that are relevant in JavaScript

ECMAScript 2015 and Beyond

Writing modern JavaScript and retaining compatibility
How ECMAScript 2015 was a huge step forward
Modules and the import / export syntax
String interpolation / template literals
Block scope via ‘let’
Iterators, generators and the ‘for…of’ statement
New class syntax
Using the spread operator with functions and structures
New data structures - Maps and typed arrays
Intercepting object interaction with the Proxy type
Simplified anonymouse functions with arrow functions
Writing asynchronous code with Promises
The TC39 process and using non-standard features

Manipulating the DOM Tree

Making sense of the Document Object Model
Different options for locating nodes in the DOM
Adding, manipulating and removing nodes from the tree
The three supported models for handling DOM events
Finding and validating the content of form elements
Working with hidden form elements and cookies
Using timers to schedule code for execution
Asynchronous JavaScript in HTML5 using WebWorkers

Applying AJAX

How AJAX was invented and popularised
Creating an XHR object on different browsers
Sending requests to the server via the XHR object
The stages in the lifecycle of an XHR request
Using onreadystatechange to monitor the progress of a request
Adding extra headers and cookies to the request
Handing HTTP errors and enforcing timeouts

Communicating with RESTful Services

Introduction to the REST Architecture
The meaning of the different HTTP Verbs
‘URL Templates’ and ‘Content Negotiation’
The limitations of using XML within JavaScript
An overview of the JSON formatting standard
Sending and receiving data from services via JSON
Writing a complete REST client with error handling