Day 1 of 7-days "JavaScript and Rich User Interfaces" training for my colleagues. It covers Prototype, jQuery, Dojo and qooxdoo.

2. JavaScript Libraries Overview
Siarhei Barysiuk
s.barysiuk@sam-solutions.net

3. Our roadmap

4. Libraries: What we will cover today...
5 great open source libraries for your project.
• prototype
• jQuery
• dojo
• qooxdoo

5. Libraries: General picture
Global picture
Lightweight Widgets One-page Applications

6. Prototype

7. Prototype: Overview
http://prototypejs.org

8. Prototype: Focus
• DOM manipulation
• Ajax transport
• Utility methods for built-in objects
• Class-based OOP

9. Prototype: DOM manipulation
Say goodbye to getElementById()
document.getElementById(quot;idquot;).innerHTML = quot;<li>node</li>quot;;
Say hello to $()
$(quot;idquot;).innerHTML = quot;<li>node</li>quot;;
$(element) extended DOM element

10. Prototype: DOM Element extension
* extend * makePositioned
* absolutize * select
* fire * match
* addClassName * setOpacity
* firstDescendant * next
* addMethods * setStyle
* getDimensions * nextSiblings
* adjacent * show
* getElementsByClassName * observe
* ancestors * siblings
* getElementsBySelector * positionedOffset
* childElements * stopObserving
* getHeight * previous
* classNames * toggle
* getOffsetParent * previousSiblings
* cleanWhitespace * toggleClassName
* getStyle * readAttribute
* clonePosition * undoClipping
* getWidth * recursivelyCollect
* cumulativeOffset * undoPositioned
* hasClassName * relativize
* cumulativeScrollOffset * up
* hide * remove
* descendantOf * update
* identify * removeClassName
* descendants * viewportOffset
* immediateDescendants * replace
* down * visible
* insert * scrollTo
* empty * wrap
* inspect * writeAttribute
* makeClipping
$('message').addClassName('read').update('I read this message!').setStyle({opacity: 0.5});

11. Prototype: Creating a DOM element
The old way:
var a = document.createElement('a');
a.setAttribute('class', 'foo');
a.setAttribute('href', '/foo.html');
a.appendChild(document.createTextNode(quot;Next pagequot;));
The new way:
var a = new Element('a', { 'class': 'foo', href: '/foo.html' }).update(quot;Next pagequot;);

12. Prototype: Even more bucks
$((id | element)...) -> [HTMLElement...]
$$(cssRule...) -> [HTMLElement...]
$A(iterable) -> actualArray
$F(element) -> value
$H([obj]) -> Hash
$R(start, end[, exclusive = false]) -> ObjectRange
$w(String) -> Array

13. Prototype: Event handling
$('foo').observe('click', respondToClick);
function respondToClick(event) {
var element = event.element();
element.addClassName('active');
}

14. Prototype: Ajax transport
new Ajax.Request('/some_url',{
method:'get',
onSuccess: function(transport){
var response = transport.responseText || quot;no response textquot;;
alert(quot;Success! nnquot; + response);
},
onFailure: function(){ alert('Something went wrong...') }
});
Also available are onXXX callbacks, where XXX is the HTTP response status
like 200 or 404.

15. Prototype: Ajax transport
new Ajax.Request('/some_url', {
method: 'get',
parameters: {company: 'example', limit: 12}
});
new Ajax.Request('/some_url', {
parameters: $('id_of_form_element').serialize(true)
});
form serialization

16. Prototype: Ajax magic
new Ajax.Updater(
{
success: 'products', 3.1
failure: 'errors' 3.2
},
'/some_url', 1
{
method: 'get', 2
insertion: Insertion.Top 4
}
);

17. Prototype: Built-in object extensions
* all
* any
* collect
var myObject = {}; * detect
* each
* eachSlice
['foo', 'bar', 'baz'].each(function(name, index) {
* entries
this[name] = index; * find
}, myObject); // we have specified the context * findAll
* grep
* inGroupsOf
myObject * include
* inject
//-> { foo: 0, bar: 1, baz: 2}
* invoke
* map
* max
* member
* min
* partition
* pluck
* reject
* select
* size
* sortBy
* toArray
* zip

18. Prototype: Built-in object extensions * blank
* camelize
* capitalize
* dasherize
quot;<h1>hello, i'm HTML</h1>quot;.escapeHTML() * empty
* endsWith
//-> quot;&lt;h1&gt;hello, i'm HTML&lt;/h1&gt;quot; * escapeHTML
* evalJSON
* evalScripts
'background-color'.camelize(); // -> 'backgroundColor' * extractScripts
* gsub
* include
'Prototype framework'.include('frame'); //-> true * inspect
'Prototype framework'.include('frameset');//-> false * interpolate
* isJSON
* parseQuery
* scan
quot;echo quot;.times(3); //-> quot;echo echo echo quot;
* startsWith
* strip
* stripScripts
quot;#{animals} on a #{transport}quot;.interpolate({
* stripTags
animals: quot;Pigsquot;, * sub
* succ
transport: quot;Surfboardquot; }); * times
//-> quot;Pigs on a Surfboardquot; * toArray
* toJSON
* toQueryParams
* truncate
* underscore
* unescapeHTML
* unfilterJSON

19. Prototype: Class-based OOP
var Person = Class.create({
initialize: function(name) {
this.name = name;
},
say: function(message) {
return this.name + ': ' + message;
}
});
var Pirate = Class.create(Person, {
// redefine the speak method
say: function($super, message) {
return $super(message) + ', yarr!';
}
});
var john = new Pirate('Long John');
john.say('ahoy matey');
// -> quot;Long John: ahoy matey, yarr!quot;

20. Prototype: Real life example
http://gmx.com http://web.de http://gmx.de

21. Prototype: Conclusion
• lightweight
• good for small projects
• a lot of useful methods
• transport support
• effects with script.aculo.us
• good documented
• a lot of real project which use prototype

22. Questions?

23. jQuery

24. jQuery: Overview
http://jquery.com

25. jQuery: Focus
Motto: Write less, do more.
• DOM manipulation
• Ajax transport
• Effects
• Other functionality with plugins

26. jQuery: DOM manipulation
Very powerful selectors.
$(quot;#myDivquot;).css(quot;borderquot;,quot;3px solid redquot;);
$(quot;divquot;).css(quot;borderquot;,quot;3px solid redquot;);
$(quot;.myClassquot;).css(quot;borderquot;,quot;3px solid redquot;);
$(quot;*quot;).css(quot;borderquot;,quot;3px solid redquot;);
$(quot;div,span,p.myClassquot;).css(quot;borderquot;,quot;3px solid redquot;);

27. jQuery: DOM manipulation
Even more powerful than you expect.
$('li:eq(0)')
$('li:even')
$('li:lt(3)')
$('li:not(.goofy)')
$('p a[href*=#]')
$('code, li.goofy')
$('ol .goofy > strong')
$('li + li > a[href$=pdf]')
$('span:hidden')

28. jQuery: DOM manipulation
Attributes: Text:
attr( name ) text( )
attr( properties ) text( val )
attr( key, value )
HTML:
attr( key, value )
removeAttr( name )
html( )
Classes: html( val )
addClass( class )
Value:
hasClass( class )
removeClass( class ) val( )
toggleClass( class ) val( val )

29. jQuery: DOM manipulation
append( content )
appendTo( content )
prepend( content )
prependTo( content )
after( content )
before( content )
insertAfter( content )
insertBefore( content )
wrap( html )
replaceWith( content )
clone( )

30. jQuery: Events
Very convenient event handling system.
3 main methods:
bind( type, data, fn )
trigger( type, data )
unbind( type, data )

31. jQuery: Binding event handlers
$(quot;pquot;).bind(quot;clickquot;, function(e){
var str = quot;( quot; + e.pageX + quot;, quot; + e.pageY + quot; )quot;;
$(quot;spanquot;).text(quot;Click happened! quot; + str);
});
$(quot;pquot;).bind(quot;dblclickquot;, function(){
$(quot;spanquot;).text(quot;Double-click happened in quot; + this.tagName);
});
$(quot;pquot;).bind(quot;mouseenter mouseleavequot;, function(e){
$(this).toggleClass(quot;overquot;);
});
$(quot;pquot;).trigger(quot;clickquot;);

32. jQuery: Binding event handlers
$(quot;pquot;).click(function(e){
var str = quot;( quot; + e.pageX + quot;, quot; + e.pageY + quot; )quot;;
$(quot;spanquot;).text(quot;Click happened! quot; + str);
});
$(quot;pquot;).dblclick(function(){
$(quot;spanquot;).text(quot;Double-click happened in quot; + this.tagName);
});
$(quot;pquot;).click();

33. jQuery: Custom events
$(quot;pquot;).bind(quot;myCustomEventquot;, function(e, myName, myValue){
$(this).text(myName + quot;, hi there!quot;);
$(quot;spanquot;).stop().css(quot;opacityquot;, 1)
.text(quot;myName = quot; + myName)
.fadeIn(30).fadeOut(1000);
});
$(quot;buttonquot;).click(function () {
$(quot;pquot;).trigger(quot;myCustomEventquot;, [ quot;Johnquot; ]);
});

34. jQuery: onload event
$(document).ready(function () {
$(quot;pquot;).text(quot;The DOM is now loaded and can be manipulated.quot;);
});

35. jQuery: Ajax transport
$.ajax({
type: quot;POSTquot;,
url: quot;some.phpquot;,
data: quot;name=John&location=Bostonquot;,
success: function(msg){
alert( quot;Data Saved: quot; + msg );
}
});
$.ajax({
url: quot;test.htmlquot;,
cache: false,
success: function(html){
$(quot;#resultsquot;).append(html);
}
});

36. jQuery: Ajax transport
$.ajax({
url:quot;http://api.flickr.com/services/feeds/photos_public.gne?
tags=cat&tagmode=any&format=jsonquot;,
dataType:quot;jsonpquot;,
jsonp:quot;jsoncallbackquot;,
success: function(data){
//...
})
}
})

37. jQuery: Effects
show/hide
toggle
slideDown/slideUp
slideToggle
fadeIn/fadeOut
fadeTo
animate

38. jQuery: Conclusion
• lightweight
• powerful CSS selectors
• ‘less code’ way
• built-in effects and animation
• transport support (including cross-domain)
• a lot of real-life examples

39. Questions?

40. Dojo

41. Dojo: Overview
http://dojotoolkit.org

42. Dojo: Focus
• DOM manipulation
• Animations
• Ajax
• Event and keyboard normalization
• Internationalization (i18n)
• Widgets

43. Dojo: Package system
Dojo has a package system built-in to load all the code you need,
and is controlled by dojo.require().
This function allows us to pull in parts of the Dojo Toolkit not provided for
in the Base dojo.js, such as Drag and Drop, additional animations, Dijit widgets,
DojoX projects, or even your own code.
dojo.require(quot;dijit.form.Buttonquot;);
dojo.require(quot;dijit.TitlePanequot;);

44. Dojo: Selectors
dojo.addOnLoad(function(){
// our dom is ready, get the node:
dojo.query(quot;#testHeadingquot;)
// add quot;testClassquot; to its class=quot;quot; attribute
.addClass(quot;testClassquot;)
// and fade it out after 500 ms
.fadeOut({ delay:500 }).play();
});

45. Dojo: Event handling
dojo.addOnLoad(function(){
var node = dojo.byId(quot;testHeadingquot;);
dojo.connect(node,quot;onclickquot;,function(){
node.innerHTML = quot;I've been clickedquot;;
});
});
dojo.addOnLoad(function(){
dojo.query(quot;#testHeadingquot;)
.style(quot;cursorquot;,quot;pointerquot;)
.connect(quot;onclickquot;,function(){
this.innerHTML = quot;I've been clickedquot;;
});
});

46. Dojo: Ajax transport
var init = function(){
var contentNode = dojo.byId(quot;contentquot;);
dojo.xhrGet({
url: quot;js/sample.txtquot;,
handleAs: quot;textquot;,
load: function(data,args){
// fade out the node we're modifying
dojo.fadeOut({
node: contentNode,
onEnd: function(){
// set the data, fade it back in
contentNode.innerHTML = data;
dojo.fadeIn({node: contentNode}).play();
}
}).play();
},
// if any error occurs, it goes here:
error: function(error,args){
console.warn(quot;error!quot;,error);
}
});
};
dojo.addOnLoad(init);

47. Dojo: Ajax transport
// sumbit the form
var formSubmit = function(e){
// prevent the form from actually submitting
e.preventDefault();
// submit the form in the background
dojo.xhrPost({
url: quot;alternate-submit.phpquot;,
form: quot;mainFormquot;,
handleAs: quot;textquot;,
handle: function(data,args){
if(typeof data == quot;errorquot;){
console.warn(quot;error!quot;,args);
}else{
// show our response
console.log(data);
}
}
});
};
dojo.addOnLoad(function(){
var theForm = dojo.byId(quot;mainFormquot;);
// another dojo.connect syntax: call a function directly
dojo.connect(theForm,quot;onsubmitquot;,formSubmit);
});

48. Dojo: Widgets
First Name:
<input type=quot;textquot; size=quot;20quot; name=quot;firstquot;
dojoType=quot;dijit.form.TextBoxquot;
trim=quot;truequot; propercase=quot;truequot; />
Price:
<input type=quot;textquot;
maxlength=quot;12quot;
class=quot;fillwidth currencyquot;
id=quot;grossincomequot; name=quot;grossincomequot;
value=quot;0.00quot;
dojoType=quot;dijit.form.CurrencyTextBoxquot;
required=quot;truequot;
onChange=quot;updateTotals()quot;
currency=quot;USDquot;/>
dojo.require(quot;dijit.form.TextBoxquot;);
dojo.require(quot;dijit.form.CurrencyTextquot;);

49. Dojo: Dijit at a Glance
Border Container AccordionContainer
ContentPane Toolbar
Slider ComboBox CurrencyTextBox NumberTextBox
CheckBox DateTextBox
Textarea ValidationTextBox
FilteringSelect InlineEditBox
TimeTextBox TabContainer
NumberSpinner StackContainer
Menu
Dialog
Tree ProgressBar Editor Grid

50. Dojo: DojoX - Dojo eXtensions
Cometd Cryptography
Widgets
Charting
FX
Data Layout
Collections
Wire
Grid
I/O
Image Timing
XML Utilities Offline GFX
String Utilities
Validate
UUID

51. Dojo: Dojo custom build
1. groups together modules into layers
2. interns external non-JavaScript files
3. smooshes the layer down with ShrinkSafe
4. copies all non-layered scripts to the appropriate places

52. Dojo: Conclusion
• not so lightweight as previous
• tons of features
• separate packages
• custom build

53. Questions?

54. qooxdoo

55. qooxdoo: Overview
http://qooxdo.org

56. qooxdoo: Focus
• One page Rich Internet Applications
• A lot of ideas from Qt
• OOP approach
• No HTML and CSS programming

57. qooxdoo: The power is in OOP
The main actors of qooxdoo OO are:
• Classes
• Interfaces
• Mixins

58. qooxdoo: Classes
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
construct : function() { ... }
});
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
...
statics : {
LEGS: 4,
makeSound : function() { ... }
}
});
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
...
members: {
name : quot;Kittyquot;,
getName: function() { return this.name }
}
});

59. qooxdoo: Special Types of Classes
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
type : quot;staticquot;
...
});
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
type : quot;abstractquot;
...
});
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
type : quot;singletonquot;
...
});

60. qooxdoo: Inheritance
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Animalquot;, {
members: {
makeSound : function(howManyTimes) {
....
}
}
});
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Catquot;, {
extend: qx.test.Animal,
members: {
makeSound : function() {
this.debug(quot;I'm a catquot;);
/* howManyTimes or any other parameter are passed. We
don't need to know how many parameters are used. */
arguments.callee.base.apply(this, arguments);
}
}
});

61. qooxdoo: Interfaces
Defining interface:
qx.Interface.define(quot;qx.test.ISamplequot;,
{
extend: [SuperInterfaces],
properties: {quot;colorquot;: {}, quot;namequot;: {} },
members:
{
meth1: function() { return true; },
meth2: function(a, b) { return arguments.length == 2; },
meth3: function(c) { return qx.Class.hasInterface(c.constructor, qx.some.IInterface); }
},
statics:
{
PI : 3.14,
staticMethod: function(z) { return typeof z == quot;stringquot;; }
},
});

62. qooxdoo: Interfaces
Implementing interface:
qx.Class.define(quot;qx.test.Samplequot;,
{
implement: [qx.test.ISample],
properties: {
quot;colorquot;: { check: quot;colorquot;},
quot;namequot;: { check: quot;Stringquot;}
},
members:
{
meth1: function() { return 42; },
meth2: function(a, b) { return a+b },
meth3: function(c) { c.foo() }
}
});

63. qooxdoo: Mixins
Defining mixin:
qx.Mixin.define(quot;namequot;,
{
include: [SuperMixins],
properties: {
quot;tabIndexquot;: {check: quot;Numberquot;, init: -1}
},
members:
{
prop1: quot;fooquot;,
meth1: function() {},
meth2: function() {}
}
});

64. qooxdoo: Mixins
Attaching mixin:
qx.Class.define(quot;my.cool.Classquot;,
{
include : [my.cool.MMixin, my.other.cool.MMixin]
...
});
qx.Class.include(qx.ui.core.Widget, qx.MWidgetExtensions);

65. qooxdoo: Properties
...
properties : {
width : { check : quot;Numberquot;, apply : quot;applyWidthquot; }
}
members :
{
applyWidth : function(value) {
this.setStyleProperty(quot;widthquot;, value + quot;pxquot;);
}
}
...
widget.addEventListener(quot;changeWidthquot;, function(e) {
e.getValue().innerHTML = quot;Hello Worldquot;;
});

66. qooxdoo: GUI

67. qooxdoo: GUI and even more features
• Layouting
• Widgets
• Interaction
• Selection Handling
• Drag & Drop
• Theming
• Low-level Ajax Transport
• RPC
• Logging and Debugging
• Unit testing

68. qooxdoo: Tooling
Generator:
• Optimization
• Compressing
• Internalization
• API Documentation
• More
XML description for UI - qxtransformer
http://qxtransformer.org

69. qooxdoo: Real life example
http://gmx.com

70. Questions?