Professional JavaScript for Web Developers

1. What Is JavaScript?
This chapter explains the origins of JavaScript: where it came from, how it evolved, and what it is today. Concepts introduced include the relationship between JavaScript and ECMAScript, the Document Object Model (DOM), and the Browser Object Model (BOM). A discussion of the relevant standards from the European Computer Manufacturer’s Association (ECMA) and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is also included.
2. ECMAScript Basics

This chapter examines the core technology upon which JavaScript is built, ECMAScript.
3. Object Basics - This chapter focuses on the foundations of object-oriented programming (OOP) in JavaScript. Topics covered include defining custom objects using a variety of different methods, creating object instances, and understanding the similarities and differences to OOP in JavaScript and Java.
4. Inheritance - This chapter continues the exploration of OOP in JavaScript, describing how inheritance works.
5. JavaScript in the Browser - This chapter explains how to include JavaScript in Web pages made with a variety of languages, including Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML), Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), and XML User Interface Language (XUL).
6. DOM Basics - This chapter introduces the DOM as implemented in JavaScript. It includes an introduction to DOM concepts of specific value to Web developers. These concepts are applied later in examples using HTML, SVG, and XUL.
7. Regular Expressions - This chapter focuses on the JavaScript implementation of regular expressions, which are a powerful tool for data validation and string manipulation. The origins of regular expressions are explored, as well as its syntax and usage across a variety of programming languages.
8. Browser and Operating System Detection - This chapter explains the importance of writing JavaScript to run on a variety of Web browsers. The two methods of browser detection, object/feature detection and user-agent string detection, are discussed; the advantages and disadvantages of each approach are listed.
9. All about Events - This chapter discusses one of the most important concepts in JavaScript: events. Events are the main way to tie JavaScript to a Web-user interface regardless of the markup language being used.
10. Advanced DOM Techniques - This chapter introduces some of the more advanced features of the DOM, including ranges and style-sheet manipulation.
11. Forms and Data Integrity - This chapter discusses the importance of data validation when using forms. As I introduce techniques for handling validation, I apply concepts introduced earlier, such as regular expressions, events, and DOM manipulation.
12. Sorting Tables - This chapter applies a number of language features described earlier to accomplish dynamic sorting of tables on the client.
13. Drag and Drop - This chapter explains the concept of drag and drop as it applies to JavaScript and Web browsers. The concept of system drag and drop versus simulated drag and drop is discussed, ending with the creation of a standard drag-and-drop interface that can be used across browsers.
14. Error Handling -  This chapter introduces the concept of error handling in JavaScript by discussing the use of the try...catch statement and the onerror event handler. Other topics explored are the creation of custom errors using the throw statement and the use of JavaScript debuggers.
15. XML in JavaScript - This chapter presents the features of JavaScript used to read and manipulate eXtensible Markup Language (XML) data. I explain the differences in support and objects in various Web browsers, and I offer suggestions for easier cross-browser coding.
16. Client-Server Communication - This chapter explores the various JavaScript methods of communicating back to the server. These methods include the use of cookies and JavaScript-based HTTP requests.