Front-end Web Development/Notes: Difference between revisions

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


==== Class for 2014-05-05: Backbone.js ====
==== Class for 2014-06-02: the basics ====
We'll learn about the basics of [http://backbonejs.org/ Backbone.js], one of the simplest Model-Collection-View libraries available for the front-end. Libraries such as these make it easier to manage data-rich views by keeping everything in sync with each other, and with data in the back-end.
 
To prepare for this class:
* Install [https://rvm.io/ RVM] if you're using OS X or Linux, or the latest version of Ruby via [http://rubyinstaller.org/ RubyInstaller] for Windows
* Using the latest version of Ruby, install Middleman: <code>gem install middleman</code>
* Download [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class21/characters.zip this JSON file].
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pguezB-guU4 Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class21/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-04-28: Preprocessors ====
Front-end code can often get very repetitive and hard to maintain. We'll expand upon last week's talk about backend code generation by introducing preprocessors - languages which compile into HTML, CSS, or JS. We've taken a look at PHP and ERB, but we'll also walk through languages that look nothing like HTML (HAML), and languages that compile into CSS (Less, Sass + Compass) and JS (CoffeeScript). These languages can make your life much easier as they help keep you from repeating yourself (DRY!). We'll also introduce Middleman, one of many workflow systems that makes using these languages easy.
 
To prepare for this class, consider installing [https://rvm.io/ RVM] with the --ruby=2.0 flag if you're using OS X or Linux, or Ruby via [http://rubyinstaller.org/ RubyInstaller] for Windows. You can then install [http://middlemanapp.com/ Middleman].
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKoUPy7mxNc Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class20/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-04-21: back-end web development ====
This class is all about the seedy underbelly of web development: the backend!
 
I know we already have a [[Backend_web_dev_in_Ruby_on_Rails|Rails class here at Noisebridge]], but this one is tailored toward front-end developers wanting to get a taste of how things come together. We'll talk about PHP, then Express.js, then Rails.
 
During the recap period, we will set up your computers. But it's best to do this before arriving if possible. Here are the steps used for class preparation:
 
----
 
===== THE EASY WAY =====
If you would like to follow along, the easiest option is to run a virtual machine.
* Install [https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads VirtualBox AND the Extension Pack]
* [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class19/Ubuntu.ova Download this preconfigured Ubuntu virtual machine (1.88GB)]
* Double-click the .ova file. You should check the "reinitialize the MAC address" step.
* Start the machine after installation and you're all set!
* System username and password are both "front-end". Feel free to change them if that's uncomfortable.
 
===== THE HARDER WAY =====
If you don't want to use a virtual machine.
 
On Linux, you'll need to follow these steps:
* Run:
** <code>sudo apt-get install nodejs</code>
** <code>sudo apt-get install npm</code>
* <code>wget --no-check-certificate https://raw.github.com/joshfng/railsready/master/railsready.sh && bash railsready.sh</code>
** When installing, choose RVM.
* https://help.ubuntu.com/community/ApacheMySQLPHP
 
On OS X 10.9:
* Install Node.JS: http://nodejs.org/
* To install Rails, run:
** <code>curl -O https://raw.github.com/joshfng/railsready/master/railsready.sh && bash railsready.sh</code>
*** When installing, choose RVM.
* For PHP, install MAMP: http://www.mamp.info/en/index.html
 
On Windows or OS X 10.8 and below:
* http://nodejs.org/ - install Node.JS
* Use RailsInstaller: http://railsinstaller.org/
* And for PHP:
** Mac: http://www.mamp.info/en/index.html
** Windows: http://www.wampserver.com/en/
 
===== THE HARDEST WAY =====
Install Node.JS, NPM, Apache, PHP, RVM, Ruby, and Rails individually. Good luck!
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMz7lvi9aWI Lecture video]'''<br>
 
==== 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.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gyokfBklfI Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class18/shell-cheatsheet.txt Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-04-07: The mobile web ====
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.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-jU1ALAayA Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class17/lecture.zip 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.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZx1h-9YYXA Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class16/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-03-24: HTML5 elements ====
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.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjtkKkZEAbQ Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class15/html.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-03-17: Sign-up forms ====
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.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSHmOcayp24 Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class14/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-03-10: Modals and menus ====
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.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqqCLlciWtc Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class13/lecture.zip 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 [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.
 
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].
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmwfupfKztk Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class12/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-02-24: jQuery, cont'd ====
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.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eikIkAlVNlM Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class11/lecture.zip 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 [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series4/class10/assets.zip this sample web app].
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvNAepROnes Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class10/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2014-02-03: JavaScript, cont'd ====
We'll continue discussing JavaScript basics: arrays, objects, creating functions, and scopes.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHcmLkhMkhA Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class9/lecture.zip 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.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqTmmhEj8k Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class8/lecture.zip 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 [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net NearlyFreeSpeech.NET], and upload to them using [http://filezilla-project.org the FileZilla client].
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8rpnf_BHxE Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class7/lecture.txt 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 [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/series5/class6/lecture.zip lecture materials]).
 
'''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 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 [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].
 
'''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]'''
 
==== 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.
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q453KMiCC2s Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class4/lecture.zip 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 [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and create a site from it.
 
[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class3/answersheet.zip The site's final code (not finished in class) is here.]
 
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw_U7YZzbW0 Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class3/lecture.zip 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. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqQph1vry7A Try last series's video.]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/class2/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2013-11-11: the basics ====
<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:
<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"
* Explaining "front-end" vs. "back-end"
Line 192: Line 10:
* Explaining the role of front-end 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!
No recap session for this class. Please show up 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. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmDCjhCuNtU Try last series's video.]'''<br>
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r82vt7pZcnc Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series5/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 15:38, 3 June 2014

Notes from previous Front-end Web Development classes.

Class for 2014-06-02: 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 before 8pm, as physical space is limited. Bring a laptop!

Lecture video
Lecture materials


Notes archive