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Notes from previous [[Frontend Web Development]] classes.
Notes from previous [[Front-end Web Development]] classes.


==== Class for 2013-08-26: ClassName Swap, Language Review, RTFM, by Garrett Smith ====
==== Class for 2014-04-14: version control (Git) and the command line ====
This class is a general overview on version control and the command line. I've taught how to use an FTP client to upload files to the web, but the truth is that most developers don't do that anymore - rather, they collaborate with their peers by using version control systems, which allows them to keep track of their work in a reliable fashion and push it to the web.


===== Lesson: CSS ClassName Swap =====
Again, this class isn't about web development per se - it's just an important introduction to using the command line to work with Git, one of the most popular version control systems. Everyone will create their own fork of a repository and check in their work.
By changing an element's <code>className</code> multiple styles can be changed at one time.  


Using the descendant selector, and changing the <code>className</code> of an ancestor element, multiple elements can be updated simultaneously, with a modicum of highly efficient code.
There is no recap period for this class.


For Styles, replace a loop that applies styles to descendants by adding a class token to the nearest common ancestor ([http://jibbering.com/faq/notes/code-guidelines/descendant-sel.html example], [http://jibbering.com/faq/notes/code-guidelines/#design explanation]).
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gyokfBklfI Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class18/shell-cheatsheet.txt Lecture materials]'''


====== Calculating Selector's Specificity ([http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/cascade.html#specificity CSS 2.1]). ======
==== Class for 2014-04-07: The mobile web ====
The classname swap example leverages the fact that class selectors (e.g. <code>.foo</code>) have higher specificity than element selectors (e.g. <code>tr</code>).
We'll take [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class17/blog.zip this blog] and turn it into a mobile-accessible website via the use of media queries. We'll also talk about the rest of the world of the mobile web: user agent strings (and why you shouldn't trust them), frameworks like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch (and why they're not perfect), and the future of HTML5/CSS3 in mobile website and app development.


CSS Selector specificity is determined four numbers, a-b-c-d, in a number system with a large base.
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jU1ALAayA Lecture video]'''<br>
<blockquote cite="http://www.w3.org/TR/CSS2/cascade.html#specificity">
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class17/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
    count 1 if the declaration is from is a 'style' attribute rather than a rule with a selector, 0 otherwise (= a) (In HTML, values of an element's "style" attribute are style sheet rules. These rules have no selectors, so a=1, b=0, c=0, and d=0.)
    count the number of ID attributes in the selector (= b)
    count the number of other attributes and pseudo-classes in the selector (= c)
    count the number of element names and pseudo-elements in the selector (= d)
</blockquote>


===== RTFM =====
==== Class for 2014-03-31: CSS3 ====
Unschooling and autodidacticism; An Intro to [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#rtfm RTFM], RTFFAQ, and SFTW.
We've covered CSS3 before, but in the context of a mockup. We'll look further into CSS3 with a demonstration of what the new technologies are, how to make the most of them, and how to make sites using CSS3 look good in less capable browsers.


Understanding defines the difference between the followers, who resort to mystical incantations or convoluted DOM libraries to do the work for them, and those who can implement project requirements, as specified, with [http://vimeo.com/12643301 clean code (Vimeo)]. Not downloading free scripts off dynamic drive or [http://blog.ponyfoo.com/search/tagged/jquery jQuery], copying, or programming by observation.
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZx1h-9YYXA Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class16/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


When misunderstandings or debates arise, and that happens fairly often, it is important how to find the answer using STFW and RTFM,
==== Class for 2014-03-24: HTML5 elements ====
and when that fails, how (and where (CIWAS, JSMentors, c.l.js, ciwah) to ask a [http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html smart question].  
We'll take an entertaining (in my opinion) look through [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class15/html.zip this page containing every currently valid HTML element]. Many of them are considered "HTML5" elements, but that's just because they're relatively new.


===== JavaScript Review =====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjtkKkZEAbQ Lecture video]'''<br>
====== Functions ======
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class15/html.zip Lecture materials]'''
* [http://kangax.github.io/nfe/ FunctionExpression vs FunctionDeclaration], [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/comp.lang.javascript/tjVn1NjGDN8/QgOuxtAymqoJ MemberExpression], [http://www.ecma-international.org/ecma-262/5.1/#sec-11.2.1 PropertyAccessor] and [http://jibbering.com/faq/notes/square-brackets/ Square Brackets].


====== Specifications ======
==== Class for 2014-03-17: Sign-up forms ====
* [http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-262-arch.htm ECMAScript 1.3] and [http://www.ecma-international.org/ecma-262/5.1/ ECMAScript 5.1]  
We'll continue working on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class13/lecture.zip our site] and add a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We'll learn about built-in HTML5 validation, but also use the [http://jqueryvalidation.org/ jQuery Validation plugin] to help us where browser support is necessary.
Other versions of ECMAScript, including E4X and Compact, are out of scope for this class.


====== FAQ ======
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSHmOcayp24 Lecture video]'''<br>
[http://jibbering.com/faq/ FAQ], also hosted on [http://www.fortybelow.ca/hosted/comp-lang-javascript/faq/ Matt's site].
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class14/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-08-12: More useful jQuery plugins ====
==== Class for 2014-03-10: Modals and menus ====
Our final jQuery-focused class touched on a number of other common plugins that are found in the wild. We took a closer look at Bootstrap and jQuery UI, and looked at plugins that make your page look super snazzy:
We'll go back to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco.zip "professional" site we put together a number of weeks ago] and add more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We'll first make a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We'll do this by introducing [http://jqueryui.com/ jQuery UI] to make common user controls easier to create. We'll also compare our CSS-only menu with one made with the help of jQuery, explaining the differences between the two.
* [http://jqueryui.com/demos/datepicker/ Datepicker (jQuery UI)] - fancy datepickers appearing near your input fields
* [http://jqueryui.com/demos/accordion/ Accordion (jQuery UI)] - collapse and unfold lists of elements
* [http://getbootstrap.com/javascript/#scrollspy Scrollspy (Bootstrap)] - change navs to highlight where you are scrolled on a page
* [http://jquery.malsup.com/cycle2/ Cycle] - make easy slideshows
* [http://harvesthq.github.io/chosen/ Chosen] - style dropdowns


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRs9HOD0aMo Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqqCLlciWtc Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class15/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class13/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-08-05: Sign-up forms ====
==== Class for 2014-03-03: AJAX ====
We continued working on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class13/lecture.zip our site] and added a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We used the [http://jqueryvalidation.org/ jQuery Validation plugin]. Validation is a very common request from clients and it comes in handy to know all the tips and tricks of forms and validation, and what new HTML5 elements can provide.
We'll talk about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We'll add AJAX functionality to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class11/lecture.zip our app we've been building on]. We'll use this [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class12/tweet.php.zip PHP file] to test it out.


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGJPBfWJWRc Lecture video]'''<br>
If you don't already have web hosting, please sign up for some at [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/ NearlyFreeSpeech.NET] for free (or very cheap). Also, install the [https://filezilla-project.org/ FileZilla Client].
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class14/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-07-29: Modals and menus ====
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmwfupfKztk Lecture video]'''<br>
We went back to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco.zip "professional" site we'd put together a number of weeks ago] and added more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We first made a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We did this by introducing [http://jqueryui.com/ jQuery UI] to make common user controls easier to create. We also added some dropdown functionality to our menus using pure CSS, but explained that jQuery UI can help out with the subtle nuances of menus.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class12/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ge2ZECyRRf8 Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2014-02-24: jQuery, cont'd ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class13/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
We'll continue learning about jQuery by focusing on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class10/lecture.zip the example we saw last class]. We'll add functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.


==== Class for 2013-07-22: AJAX ====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eikIkAlVNlM Lecture video]'''<br>
We talked about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We added AJAX functionality to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class11/lecture.zip our app we've been building on]. We used this [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class12/tweet.php.zip PHP file] to test it out.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class11/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi1arhXXQsw Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2014-02-10: jQuery ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class12/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
We'll introduce jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier. jQuery is the most popular of many libraries that allow us to interact with the document easily, while also providing us with a few tools that are missing from the base language.


==== Class for 2013-07-15: jQuery, cont'd ====
To learn what jQuery can do, we'll add some scripting to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/assets.zip this sample web app].
We continued learning about jQuery by focusing on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/lecture.zip the example we saw last week]. We added functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6Bublxub3w Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvNAepROnes Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class11/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class10/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-07-08: jQuery ====
==== Class for 2014-02-03: JavaScript, cont'd ====
We introduced jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier. jQuery is the most popular of many libraries that allow us to interact with the document easily, while also providing us with a few tools that are missing from the base language.
We'll continue discussing JavaScript basics: arrays, objects, creating functions, and scopes.


To learn what jQuery can do, we added some scripting to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/assets.zip this sample web app].
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHcmLkhMkhA Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class9/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP3MgfcStxg Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2014-01-27: JavaScript ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
We'll talk about JavaScript: making web pages interactive through client-side code. We'll use the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language. This and next week's class can be treated as a general introduction to programming.


==== Class for 2013-07-01: JavaScript, cont'd ====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqTmmhEj8k Lecture video]'''<br>
We continued discussing JavaScript basics: arrays, objects, creating functions, and scopes.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class8/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Q5DhW8jpA Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2014-01-20: HTTP & SFTP ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class9/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
We'll talk about file transfer: HTTP, which is the method of getting and sending information in the web browser, and SFTP, which is a method of securely uploading files to a web host.


==== Class for 2013-06-24: JavaScript ====
We'll set up free web hosting accounts at [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net NearlyFreeSpeech.NET], and upload to them using [http://filezilla-project.org the FileZilla client].
We talked about JavaScript: making web pages interactive through client-side code. We used the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language. This and next week's class can be treated as a general introduction to programming.


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfd78FpYPuI Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8rpnf_BHxE Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class8/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class7/lecture.txt Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-06-17: HTTP & SFTP ====
==== Class for 2014-01-13: Working from professional mockups, cont'd ====
We talked about file transfer: HTTP, which is the method of getting and sending information in the web browser, and SFTP, which is a method of securely uploading files to a web host.
We'll take the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and work off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png this mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version] to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].


We set up free web hosting accounts at [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net NearlyFreeSpeech.NET], and uploaded to them using [http://filezilla-project.org the FileZilla client].
We didn't exactly finish, but I went ahead and put on the finishing touches. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco The final product can be found here] (but where we left off can be found in the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class6/lecture.zip lecture materials]).


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfJxBeNzbvQ Lecture video]'''
'''No video for this class. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMeTFrR1rtA Try last series's video.]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class6/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-06-03: Working from professional mockups, cont'd ====
==== Class for 2014-01-06: Working from professional mockups ====
We continued putting our professional-looking site together from [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class5/lecture.zip where we left off]. We focused on some fancy CSS3 techniques, and we saw how to make an interactive dropdown menu with no JavaScript.
We'll take the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and work off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png this mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version] to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].


We didn't exactly finish, but I went ahead and put on the finishing touches. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/noiseco The final product can be found here] (but where we left off can be found in the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/lecture.zip lecture materials]).
'''No video for this class. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y6MxRAPfLs Try last series's video.]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class5/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMeTFrR1rtA Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2013-12-09: CSS positioning ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class6/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
In the last few classes, we've focused on element measurements and floats. This time, we'll focus on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, and using absolute, relative, or fixed positioning to put the elements anywhere we want on the whole page.


==== Class for 2013-05-20: Working from professional mockups ====
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q453KMiCC2s Lecture video]'''<br>
We took the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and worked off of something given to us by a designer (me).
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class4/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


We worked off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png this mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version] to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].
==== Class for 2013-12-02: CSS floats ====
Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We'll learn about floats by taking a look at some examples, then take a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and create a site from it.


'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y6MxRAPfLs Lecture video]'''<br>
[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class3/answersheet.zip The site's final code (not finished in class) is here.]
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class5/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2013-05-13: CSS positioning ====
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw_U7YZzbW0 Lecture video]'''<br>
In the last few classes, we focused on element measurements and floats. This time, we focused on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, and using absolute, relative, or fixed positioning to put the elements anywhere we want on the whole page.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class3/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxROKEWIjB8 Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2013-11-18: CSS selectors and the box model ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class4/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we'll look at them further in-depth. We'll also talk about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.


==== Class for 2013-05-06: CSS floats ====
'''No video for this class. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqQph1vry7A Try last series's video.]'''<br>
Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We learned about floats by taking a look at some examples, then took a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and created a site from it.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class2/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j6oA4sS99U Lecture video]'''<br>
==== Class for 2013-11-11: the basics ====
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class3/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
<span style="color:green">'''THIS is the class to attend if you are a complete beginner!'''</span> We are starting the curriculum of this class from square one. We'll cover the very basics:
 
* Explaining "front-end" vs. "back-end"
==== Class for 2013-04-22: CSS selectors and the box model ====
CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we looked at them further in-depth. We also talked about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqQph1vry7A Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class2/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2013-04-15: the basics ====
We covered the very basics:
* Explaining "frontend" vs. "backend"
* Discussing tools of the trade
* Discussing tools of the trade
* Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior
* Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior
* Writing a basic HTML page
* Writing a basic HTML page
* Styling the page with basic CSS
* Styling the page with basic CSS
* Explaining the role of frontend web development as a job and career
* Explaining the role of front-end web development as a job and career
 
No recap session for this class. Please show up '''promptly''' at or before 8pm, as physical space is limited. Bring a laptop!
 
P.S. This might be the last series I teach for a while. I might take a longer break after the end of the series (in about 6 months). We'll see. But if you've been meaning to attend, this is your chance!


'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDCjhCuNtU Lecture video]'''<br>
'''No video for this class. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDCjhCuNtU Try last series's video.]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class1/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class1/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


----
----


[[Frontend_Web_Development/Notes/Archive|Notes archive]]
[[Frontend_Web_Development/Notes/Archive|Notes archive]]

Revision as of 10:34, 16 April 2014

Notes from previous Front-end Web Development classes.

Class for 2014-04-14: version control (Git) and the command line

This class is a general overview on version control and the command line. I've taught how to use an FTP client to upload files to the web, but the truth is that most developers don't do that anymore - rather, they collaborate with their peers by using version control systems, which allows them to keep track of their work in a reliable fashion and push it to the web.

Again, this class isn't about web development per se - it's just an important introduction to using the command line to work with Git, one of the most popular version control systems. Everyone will create their own fork of a repository and check in their work.

There is no recap period for this class.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-04-07: The mobile web

We'll take this blog and turn it into a mobile-accessible website via the use of media queries. We'll also talk about the rest of the world of the mobile web: user agent strings (and why you shouldn't trust them), frameworks like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch (and why they're not perfect), and the future of HTML5/CSS3 in mobile website and app development.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-03-31: CSS3

We've covered CSS3 before, but in the context of a mockup. We'll look further into CSS3 with a demonstration of what the new technologies are, how to make the most of them, and how to make sites using CSS3 look good in less capable browsers.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-03-24: HTML5 elements

We'll take an entertaining (in my opinion) look through this page containing every currently valid HTML element. Many of them are considered "HTML5" elements, but that's just because they're relatively new.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-03-17: Sign-up forms

We'll continue working on our site and add a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We'll learn about built-in HTML5 validation, but also use the jQuery Validation plugin to help us where browser support is necessary.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-03-10: Modals and menus

We'll go back to the "professional" site we put together a number of weeks ago and add more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We'll first make a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We'll do this by introducing jQuery UI to make common user controls easier to create. We'll also compare our CSS-only menu with one made with the help of jQuery, explaining the differences between the two.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-03-03: AJAX

We'll talk about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We'll add AJAX functionality to our app we've been building on. We'll use this PHP file to test it out.

If you don't already have web hosting, please sign up for some at NearlyFreeSpeech.NET for free (or very cheap). Also, install the FileZilla Client.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-02-24: jQuery, cont'd

We'll continue learning about jQuery by focusing on the example we saw last class. We'll add functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-02-10: jQuery

We'll introduce jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier. jQuery is the most popular of many libraries that allow us to interact with the document easily, while also providing us with a few tools that are missing from the base language.

To learn what jQuery can do, we'll add some scripting to this sample web app.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-02-03: JavaScript, cont'd

We'll continue discussing JavaScript basics: arrays, objects, creating functions, and scopes.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-01-27: JavaScript

We'll talk about JavaScript: making web pages interactive through client-side code. We'll use the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language. This and next week's class can be treated as a general introduction to programming.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-01-20: HTTP & SFTP

We'll talk about file transfer: HTTP, which is the method of getting and sending information in the web browser, and SFTP, which is a method of securely uploading files to a web host.

We'll set up free web hosting accounts at NearlyFreeSpeech.NET, and upload to them using the FileZilla client.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-01-13: Working from professional mockups, cont'd

We'll take the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and work off of this mockup and its annotated version to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). Image assets can be found here.

We didn't exactly finish, but I went ahead and put on the finishing touches. The final product can be found here (but where we left off can be found in the lecture materials).

No video for this class. Try last series's video.
Lecture materials

Class for 2014-01-06: Working from professional mockups

We'll take the knowledge we gained from looking at the CSS box model, floats, and positioning, and work off of this mockup and its annotated version to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). Image assets can be found here.

No video for this class. Try last series's video.
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-12-09: CSS positioning

In the last few classes, we've focused on element measurements and floats. This time, we'll focus on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, and using absolute, relative, or fixed positioning to put the elements anywhere we want on the whole page.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-12-02: CSS floats

Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We'll learn about floats by taking a look at some examples, then take a mockup and create a site from it.

The site's final code (not finished in class) is here.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-11-18: CSS selectors and the box model

CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we'll look at them further in-depth. We'll also talk about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.

No video for this class. Try last series's video.
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-11-11: the basics

THIS is the class to attend if you are a complete beginner! We are starting the curriculum of this class from square one. We'll cover the very basics:

  • Explaining "front-end" vs. "back-end"
  • Discussing tools of the trade
  • Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior
  • Writing a basic HTML page
  • Styling the page with basic CSS
  • Explaining the role of front-end web development as a job and career

No recap session for this class. Please show up promptly at or before 8pm, as physical space is limited. Bring a laptop!

P.S. This might be the last series I teach for a while. I might take a longer break after the end of the series (in about 6 months). We'll see. But if you've been meaning to attend, this is your chance!

No video for this class. Try last series's video.
Lecture materials


Notes archive