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JavaScript Interactive Web Pages with JavaScript Selecting Elements and Adding Events with JavaScript Perform: Event Handling

Ivan A.
Ivan A.
9,627 Points

After JQuery....

Hi, Seriously, after completing the JQuery "class". All of this seems to me like a mombo jambo and a HUMONGOUS amount of unnecessary code... Is it just me AND my incompetence(doing JS for less than a month)? Or is it that the same code would be easier to write in JQuery???

P.S. Sorry for lack of competence.

8 Answers

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

This kind of stuff probably would be easier to write in jquery, but it's also fairly basic code, and there are a couple of things to keep in mind here.

So while it may not be the best example of when to use vanilla js vs jquery, it's simple enough most will grasp what is going on from the beginning.

jQuery has a weight to it. Granted, the developers have done a great job of minimizing the performance impact, but a feather is still heavier than nothing. There are a lot of articles about the weight of jquery, so I'd suggest you do your own independent research from multiple sources.

jQuery is a great dom manipulation tool, but it isn't designed to replace vanilla javascript.

There are also situations where in your professional career, you may work on projects where jquery doesn't exist.

And finally, understanding the vanilla js way to do something, will likely help you understand what and how jquery is doing what it is doing, with it's nice little syntax it gives you.

Stick with it, and you'll eventually see the big picture. It just takes some time.

Good question though. I do like that you are questioning why you're learning what you're learning, and if there is an easier way to do the same task. That's the "think for your own" mentality that will serve you well as a web developer or designer.

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

But at the end, learning JS should be the core right? Because at the end all the JS libraries or whatever it is, is made from JS.

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

jQuery is less complicated and you write less instead of pure JS. Takes years with JS, takes few weeks with jQuery.

Tushar Singh
PLUS
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

jQuery is short and RELATIVELY easy to use.

Probably you have heard this word a lot by now :wink:----> daunting

jquery is less daunting, simple as that.

Tushar Singh
PLUS
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

And btw it was mumbo jumbo for me as well lol, even jQuery course was all mumbo jumbo.

If you think You need help with jquery, I really liked New Boston jquery tutorial.

jQuery New Boston

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

They are old xD But i like thenewboston to xD

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

I am going to be very honest. I literally can't understand what this chaulker dude says or do, dosen't make any sense to me. Even old videos make much more sense to me than chaulker's course.

Ivan A.
Ivan A.
9,627 Points

Yeah, i do understand, that JQuery is "easier", at least for me. That is why i am asking this - is there a reason to re-learn the JS now, to go on with these classes? Because in order to complete them, i am going to be forced to use JS, not the JQuery code.

Tushar Singh
PLUS
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

Kevin Korte

There are also situations where in your professional career, you may work on projects where jquery doesn't exist.

Really? Then I'm screwed. Ok Vanilla then!

But how are we supposed to understand how pure js works just from a 2hr course. Can you recommend some good resources? Thank You!

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

I think you learn the basics of JS, not 2h. You learn on how to use the documentation and you try to build some things you see like carousel and stuff, that way you can practice. It shoudl take few montsh i guess.

And at the end, you should not be affraid to build things with JS, otherwise id say you need more practice.

Like im okay to build sites with HTML/CSS 100% im not afraid , but when it comes to WP, sometimes im wondering my self , but at the end, i usually make it, whether that was after 30days. And with jQuery i know everything i do is a challenge for me, but im getting a little bit my head around it.

I want to apply to a job soon, but i know that im affraid to build things with jQuery or JS :D and so i wont. Even though there were some things that i woudl apply if i knew jQuery well enough and JS as well to a degree.

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

Yes, learn from my mistake. I learned jquery before I learned js. jquery became a crutch, not a tool. I became limited to what I could within jquery.

You're not suppose to learn vanilla js in a 2 hr course. You probably won't learn all of vanilla js in 2 years. Js is one of the hardest langagues to grasp, in my opinion.

But when I forced myself to break my dependency on jquery, it was rough to start. But like learning anything new, persistence was key. Now more of the jquery makes sense, because I can see the connection from vanilla js.

I don't have any great resources. Just a lot of blogs, and a lot of practice. Node.js, and the Meteorjs framework has been helpful really push my comfort level, and knowledge.

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

The more i read about how programming is, the more it reminds me of learning Martial Arts or Dance. You won't do any fancy kicks unless you have lots and lots and lots of practice and before you do the flashy kick you need to know the basics.

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

hmmm I'm a little discouraged now lol.

I finally started making cool things with jQuery, and I should abandon it now.

Vanilla it is then!

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

No no no, don't be discouraged!!

jQuery is a great tool. I use it on every or almost every project.

What I'm trying to say is to not neglect the vanilla javascript language too! You'll learn JS over time. Languages like javascript can take years to master, but you may not need to master it, depending on your career path.

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

But I don't know what my career path is lol.

I am a mechanical engineer, working in marketing department and here learning to code.

But one thing I'm sure about I don't like to work on damn designs, I like it when I face some kind of a logical problem and I pull my hair out and throw my laptop away and ultimately solve it, it's an awesome feeling.I want to choose a career with coding problems. I just don't know what it is? Does it depend on the language you choose;I'm not sure.

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

Great! You should definitely learn all you can about JS. And jquery.

For the most part, understanding the core principals of one language, makes learning number two that much easier, makes learning number 3 even easier.

So you can just start with what you're interested in, and as you move through to your desired career, you may need to pick up a language along the way to work over there, but if you already know the principals of other languages, it's not as big of a deal.

Just start with what you love, and the path you should talk will start to open up. It's important in these early stages to make progress, and find it rewarding as you build more and more things. If you just go straight up and stare at the wall that is the web development world, and try to pick up all of these frameworks, languages, tools, and acronyms (OOP anyone?), you scare yourself straight into a minimum wage job.

Nobody knows everything, this is too big, and it moves way too fast to master everything. You're in for a lifetime of learning.

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

Im not sure but, umm, making games could be challenging? or making some system of some kind ? :D Im sure there are lots of logical challenges.

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

I mean look at my design, I joined treehouse a month ago and still I can't create a good design and I think don't want to(seems booring).

http://codepen.io/tushar_13/full/WwXVGB/

http://codepen.io/tushar_13/full/RaZGmW/

http://codepen.io/tushar_13/full/ZWvOwg/

I think node.js looks interesting.I think my next target would be node.js and then I will work on vanilla. I mean that's the plan and usually think don't go according to the plan hehehe

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

aaahaa games! Now that's the fun part. Well these days I'm curious about this markdown sheet. How this thing works.

I mean you just add 3 backticks and the language name, wallah! you have everything you need, interesting.

Kevin Korte
Kevin Korte
28,148 Points

Cut yourself some slack, you joined a month ago. You're off to a great start, tbh! You're much further ahead than I expected based off those 3 links

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

I'm not a designer, i don't know photoshop nor i use it. But this is what i have managed to do, on my own , looking at ideas and then mergin them. Maybe not 100% is exactly mine, but most of it.

Took me 5times making my personal site before i understood on what to look at to making websites.

Heres my site. It's straight forward.

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

thanks kevin, but I want to improve now. I mean I remember when I first started out, I posted a question on stackoverflow, and a few people were so fucking rude. I decided that day( I'm following them on linkedin) I will kick their ass no matter what!

Tushar Singh
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

konrad good job man, not at all cheesy! I don't know why but I like footer the most!.

I don't know about other people but you have mentioned your skill level, probably people do that.

But when I see "middle" as the skill level, it just conveys that you are not good at those particular skills, I think you don't want to highlight your weakness,just a suggestion(although it won't matter much)

Tushar Singh
PLUS
Tushar Singh
Courses Plus Student 8,692 Points

I was wondering if you could help me with a little challenge, now I know 2nd part of my code dosen't make any sense, I just don't know what to do!!

Can you guys please head over to this link and help me solve this. I would really appreciate it.

https://teamtreehouse.com/community/a-little-problem-with-objects

Konrad Pilch
Konrad Pilch
2,435 Points

Hey, would you like to join a slack group where we help each other and collaborate on projects?

If so you can follow this --> http://newdevelopersteam.herokuapp.com/

I appreciate this conversation. I'm pulling my hair out with Basic JS and JS Loops, Arrays, and Objects lessons. It's encouraging to know I'm not supposed to have a good understanding of this stuff after a week or so of studying and exposure.