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JavaScript

Posted by Jonathan Goodwin
Jonathan Goodwin
8,122 Points

At what point in your JS learning is it a good time to learn your first library? So far I only know JQuery. What's next?

I know a good bit about HTML, JavaScript, CSS, and very basic PHP. I can easily make websites, but none of them look "super-cool" or look EXACTLY the way that I want. At what point should I start learning different JavaScript and CSS libraries to help my front-end design? If some are easier than others, can you name a few popular libraries that I could start to learn as a beginner?

3 Answers

Juan Arriagada
Juan Arriagada
2,950 Points
Juan Arriagada
Juan Arriagada
2,950 Points

I think there's "no easy way out" when we talk of frameworks. Every framework out there (for any language) has it own advantages and disadvantages.

If you are familiar with html, css and javascript then is time to learn a framework. Frameworks give you easy ways to do common tasks you often do when using a language, for example manipulating CSS or HTML from Javascript.

At this point i have worked with several Javascript / CSS Frameworks. For example (long time ago) when working with Moodle i found myself dealing with a thing that i never seen before... YUI.

http://yuilibrary.com

YUI or Yahoo User Interface is a CSS / Javascript Framework.

Later when working on a Wordpress theme, i found another strange thing in my way... MooTools.

http://mootools.net

Same as YUI.

I personali prefer jQuery based UI Frameworks. Why? Lots of people using it, working on and with it so you can always find "how to do this with jQuery" on Google.

Javascript jQuery Framework: http://jquery.com

Javascript/CSS jQuery based Framework: http://jqueryui.com

Javascript/CSS jQuery based Framework mobile oriented: http://jquerymobile.com

I recommend you to start trying to do common things you already know from Javascript using jQuery, for example make showing and hiding a div.

Best regards,

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

jQuery, Sass and Bootstrap are all so prolific in the industry that they pay dividends by learning to work with them. They all solve particular problems so they are good tools to have in your toolbox.

After you learn those 3 I wouldn't worry about seeking out others until you run into a particular problem.

Casey Ydenberg
Casey Ydenberg
15,622 Points
Casey Ydenberg
Casey Ydenberg
15,622 Points

JQuery is the only JS library you NEED to know for front-end development. In terms of making sites look exactly the way you want, there are two things: 1) master CSS positions and floats, and 2) pick up a front-end framework with grids. Bootstrap is the the most popular, but isn't the only one, there are other options which I'm sure someone can chime in with.