What's the best way to learn jQuery? [closed]

Question

I have just started learning jQuery and what I've found is that there are tutorials for the basics and copy-paste tutorials for premade plugins, but nothing on how to get to that advanced level that I have found. What would you recommend as a way to learn jQuery?

Answer 1

Learn javascript first, then you'll gain an understanding of how jquery works.

Answer 2

The best way? Use it in an actual project.

Answer 3

jQuery in Action, Second Edition has the best real-world, advanced examples I have seen for learning an implementing jQuery. Between trying to use jQuery yourself and reading this book, you will have a good foundation of jQuery knowledge.

Answer 4

Step 1: write some jQuery. Step 2: have someone who knows jQuery look at it. Step 3: rinse, repeat.

Answer 5

Learn Javascript inside and out. Then when you feel like you have a firm grasp on Javascript, move onto JQuery. Often times too many people just browse Javascript for a couple of days and then learn JQuery. They are doing themselves no good in the long run.

Answer 6

Think of something interesting that you wish to make (a tab navigator, accordion, drag and drop boxes, whatever) and go for it. Keep an eye on the the api and become best friends with it. If you get stuck, take a look at the plethora of pre-built options for guidance.

Answer 7

Take a look at visual.jquery.com. It's a few versions behind the most recent version - however it is a great reference for learning jQuery.

Answer 8

My approach was kind'of different. I recommend it to you, as I got a good result from it.

Simply create a website for yourself (anything, but on the web), and try to load it with tons of jQuery features. Animations, DOM manipulation, AJAX requests and responses, selectors, anything that jQuery offers.

This approach is more purposefull and result-oriented and requirement-oriented than merely learning some basic structures and syntax, etc.

During the learning phase however, don't forget to get help from stackexchange network. After all, we're all here to dig each other out.

Answer 9

This is not exactly super-advanced level, but it's not exactly just copy-paste learning either, so I'll add it here though it's an ageing question: .appendTo Learning Center for JavaScript and jQuery.

Next steps after that are to implement something useful or fun for you. For instance, you could get started with an in-browser game (a simple one, mind you), or maybe a Google Chrome extension, if you use Chrome.

Answer 10

I have some suggestions to make since i love jquerying. The way i started it.

1. I had a great team leader who initially showed me what is jquery and helped me during my initial stages while coding jquery. I never had a deep knowledge about Javascript neither now. But i do code jquery well. So if you have some one well experienced , make use of him.

2. He showed me these two sites http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials & http://visualjquery.com/ & i clicked on each link tried it of my own , one by one , Till i got a basic idea of it. I went through this site for almost 2 weeks.

3. And my team leader gave me a small work to do. http://www.mybangalore.com/gallery/photos/art-culture/dastkar-is-back-it-is-on-at-palace-grounds.html?pid=5455 . And i took a week to finish it. But once i did it , i started getting some basic ideas about it and even it helped me to do more and more work easily. Take a work some what like this and start doing it. you dont need to know the whole jquery for it , when u feel like ok you want to do a certain thing , just surf it internet and find it. The idea to learn something is start doing it.

4. If you love to include some cool effects on you work, then you must learn CSS very well , since jquery actually does its work by manipulating the CSS style. I once got a chance to design a website , and it helped me a lot to build good stylish works using jquery .

5. And there are many plugins available to ease your work. But when i was asked to build an lightbox. I tried it of my own , i designed it , i went through the other lightbox plugins , just to know how it works and how they are doing it. And finally i was able to build a small one of my own. Again it required some good knowledge in css & html. http://www.mybangalore.com/movies/iron-man-2.html - just click on the "email" & "watch trailer". You can see it. Those were my initial stage works.

6. Do check even these http://api.jquery.com/ , it has a rich set of api's which you will surely love to use.

As time goes on , as you start doing many works of your own , you will become expert in it. The main thing is you should love doing it , http://docs.jquery.com/Tutorials is where you will get all the details , though many sites are there but all of them are actually just duplicating the same content. I just explained you how i learned it , hoping that you can get some points from it.