Building rich JavaScript applications that bring a desktop experience to the Web requires moving state from the server to the client side—not a simple task. This hands-on book takes proficient JavaScript developers through all the steps necessary to create state-of-the-art applications, including structure, templating, frameworks, communicating with the server, and many other issues.

Throughout the book, you'll work with real-world example applications to help you grasp the concepts involved. Learn how to create JavaScript applications that offer a more responsive and improved experience.

* Use the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, and learn how to manage dependencies inside your application
* Get an introduction to templating and data binding
* Learn about loading remote data, Ajax, and cross-domain requests
* Create realtime applications with WebSockets and Node.js
* Accept dropped files and upload data with progress indicators
* Use major frameworks and libraries, including jQuery, Spine, and Backbone
* Write tests and use the console to debug your applications
* Get deployment best practices, such as caching and minification


Table of Contents

Chapter: 1 MVC and Classes
* Early Days
* Adding Structure
* What Is MVC?
* Toward Modularity, Creating Classes
* Adding Functions to Classes
* Adding Methods to Our Class Library
* Class Inheritance Using Prototype
* Adding Inheritance to Our Class Library
* Function Invocation
* Controlling Scope in Our Class Library
* Adding Private Functions
* Class Libraries
Chapter: 2 Events and Observing
* Listening to Events
* Event Ordering
* Canceling Events
* The Event Object
* Event Libraries
* Context Change
* Delegating Events
* Custom Events
* Custom Events and jQuery Plug-Ins
* Non-DOM Events
Chapter: 3 Models and Data
* MVC and Namespacing
* Building an ORM
* Adding ID Support
* Addressing References
* Loading in Data
* Populating Our ORM
* Storing Data Locally
* Adding Local Storage to Our ORM
* Submitting New Records to the Server
Chapter: 4 Controllers and State
* Module Pattern
* Adding a Bit of Context
* State Machines
* Routing
Chapter: 5 Views and Templating
* Dynamically Rendering Views
* Templates
* Binding
Chapter: 6 Dependency Management
* CommonJS
* Module Loaders
* Wrapping Up Modules
* Module Alternatives
* FUBCs
Chapter: 7 Working with Files
* Browser Support
* Getting Information About Files
* File Inputs
* Drag and Drop
* Copy and Paste
* Reading Files
* Custom Browse Buttons
* Uploading Files
* jQuery Drag and Drop Uploader
Chapter: 8 The Real-Time Web
* Real Time’s History
* WebSockets
* Real-Time Architecture
* Perceived Speed
Chapter: 9 Testing and Debugging
* Unit Testing
* Drivers
* Headless Testing
* Distributed Testing
* Providing Support
* Inspectors
* The Console
* Using the Debugger
* Analyzing Network Requests
* Profile and Timing
Chapter: 10 Deploying
* Performance
* Caching
* Minification
* Gzip Compression
* Using a CDN
* Auditors
* Resources
Chapter: 11 The Spine Library
* Setup
* Classes
* Events
* Models
* Controllers
* Building a Contacts Manager
Chapter: 12 The Backbone Library
* Models
* Collections
* Views
* Controllers
* Syncing with the Server
* Building a To-Do List
Chapter: 13 The JavascriptMVC Library
* Setup
* Classes
* Model
* Using Client-Side Templates in the View
* $.Controller: The jQuery Plug-in Factory
* Putting It All Together: An Abstract CRUD List
Appendix: jQuery Primer
* DOM Traversal
* DOM Manipulation
* Events
* Ajax
* Being a Good Citizen
* Extensions
* Creating a Growl jQuery Plug-in
Appendix: CSS Extensions
* Variables
* Mixins
* Nested Rules
* Including Other Stylesheets
* Colors
* How Do I Use Less?
Appendix: CSS3 Reference
* Prefixes
* Colors
* Rounded Corners
* Drop Shadows
* Text Shadow
* Gradients
* Multiple Backgrounds
* Selectors
* Transitions
* Border Images
* Box Sizing
* Transformations
* Flexible Box Model
* Fonts
* Graceful Degradation
* Creating a Layout