What is the best way to learn jQuery? [closed]

Answer 1

The jQuery docs are very good. They also have a really cool api that you can use to easily navigate the docs, http://api.jquery.com.

I'm an ASP.NET developer and I found Rich Strahl's blog has a really good intro. An introduction to jQuery (2 Parts)

Answer 2

Personally I think that it's better to start off by understanding JavaScript. I recommend JavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford to anyone who is starting out, particularly those who are experienced with other languages. The syntax of JS makes the language seem deceptively familiar. Once you are comfortable with JS then you will probably know how to best approach learning jQuery (if you can just read docs/examples or if you need to read a more instructional book like those which have been suggested). I never "learnt" jQuery. To me it's just like any other library and I read the docs for usage, but I actually prefer not to use it when I don't need it.

Answer 3

I always learn best with a project, a deadline and an unforgiving client.

Also "JQuery in Action" is a decent book.

Answer 4

I struggled with jQuery in Action because I felt it was more of a reference manual as opposed to a tutorial. Maybe a year ago it was the best reference/tutorial, but now there are a bunch of other alternatives.

On the other hand, I really enjoyed the book Javascript: The Missing Manual because I felt it had better examples. Don't let the title of the book fool you, after a quick introduction to JavaScript the author introduces you to jQuery and uses jQuery for the rest of the book.

I also purchased two PDF Books from Packt Publishing :

1) Learning jQuery 1.3

2) jQuery UI 1.6: The User Interface Library for jQuery

Both are recent publications and well written. You can often find "percentage off" discounts from your local user group or on the internet to apply to the purchase price of the downloadable PDF books.

If you're looking for a single book that covers both jQuery and the jQuery UI project, then this Wrox book might be useful: Beginning JavaScript and CSS Development with jQuery. A quick google search revealed that you can browse some of the contents of the book online at: Google Book Search - Beginning JavaScript Development With jQuery By Richard York

I would actually recommend learning from samples posted on the web. There are a bunch over at:

Learning jQuery - a site related to the Packt book listed above

Encosia - ASP.NET, AJAX and more

ASP.NET and MVC jQuery related posts at Haacked

Rick Strahl's Web Log

Answer 5

Build something. Try to build, say, a calculator application using clickable divs instead of buttons and storing data in the html content instead of in javascript variables. This kind of exercise will give you a crappy calculator but good experience in manipulating things.

Answer 6

I'm learning it while trying to answer questions on JQuery here in Stackoverflow.