Date post: | 28-Jan-2015 |
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Technology |
Upload: | christian-heilmann |
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The role of JavaScript
The role of JavaScript
The fabled animal called JavaScript
The role of JavaScript
• Easy to learn
• Easy to implement
• Immediate results
• Very versatile
The role of JavaScript
JavaScript makes the web a much easier, faster and
prettier place.
The role of JavaScript
Ajax is to web pages what instant messaging is to email.
The role of JavaScript
JavaScript can also make the web a most frustrating and
insecure experience.
The role of JavaScript
It is up to us as educators to teach the sensible use of
JavaScript.
The role of JavaScript
Backend
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
Logic, Data, Validation
Structure, Semantics
Look and Feel
Behaviour
The role of JavaScript
Keeping these layers separated has lots of benefits:
• Separation of concerns
• Parallel development
• On-demand changes are easy to achieve
• Support for all environments and user agents.
The role of JavaScript
Backend
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
A traditional web site would be something like this:
The role of JavaScript
A common web application right now is more like this:
Backend
HTML
CSS
JavaScript
The role of JavaScript
There are several good reasons for this:
• Performance
• Server traffic savings
• Increased usability through to more responsive interfaces
• Reduction of redundant steps.
The role of JavaScript
There are several good reasons speaking against this:
• There is no security in JavaScript
• You cannot expect JavaScript to be enabled
• Maintaining JavaScript is very hard.
The role of JavaScript
Why is maintaining JavaScript hard?
• JavaScript is the village bicycle: everyone can have a ride.
• There is no official training or accreditation.
• It is implemented in browsers and they are constantly changing
The role of JavaScript
Why is maintaining JavaScript hard?
• We’re at a stage where making things work is more important than creating quality code.
• Re-use is harder and more expensive than starting over.
The role of JavaScript
So what can be done?
The role of JavaScript
We have to initiate a change in perception of JavaScript.
The role of JavaScript
It is not a toy language but an integral part of modern web
development.
The role of JavaScript
Due to its low level of entry it is a great language to allow
developers access and use your systems.
The role of JavaScript
For this we need to define some educational goals:
The role of JavaScript
Goals for teaching JavaScript:
• Building on best practices: progressive enhancement, maintainability, modularity.
• Removing the random browser element.
The role of JavaScript
Progressive Enhancement
• Progressive enhancement means that we add JavaScript as an interactive layer onto a working solution.
• Every step on the way we test for support before applying functionality.
The role of JavaScript
Maintainability • Maintainable code is very hard to find.
• The reason is that we hack JavaScript together rather than following agreed architectures and methodologies.
The role of JavaScript
Modularity • JavaScript solutions tend to be one-offs without an easy way to extend or change to different needs.
• This stops re-use and per-case extension.
The role of JavaScript
This, and the removal of random browser problems is the job of
JavaScript frameworks.
The role of JavaScript
Frameworks are there to make our lives as developers easier -
not be a replacement for JavaScript.
The role of JavaScript
There is nothing wrong with using a framework to make our
code work across different browsers.
The role of JavaScript
It is a better way of developing than following the w3c or ECMA recommendations to the T and
failing to deliver working code.
The role of JavaScript
Our goal should be to teach new developers to develop and
deliver not to fix problems and write workarounds.
The role of JavaScript
There are several challenges to be overcome until we get there.
The role of JavaScript
Challenges • Lack of official JavaScript courses
• Lack of promotion of code that builds interfaces - Web Development is HCI and CS.
• JavaScript is a Jack of all trades.
The role of JavaScript
The market needs good JavaScript developers, the
support and implementation of this versatile and easy language
is going nowhere but up.
The role of JavaScript
It is up for us educators to help the market hire pragmatic and quality-oriented developers
directly from school and university without the need for
internal re-education.
The role of JavaScript
THANKS! Christian Heilmann
http://wait-till-i.com
http://slideshare.net/cheilmann
http://scriptingenabled.org