Book Image

Hands-on JavaScript for Python Developers

By : Sonyl Nagale
Book Image

Hands-on JavaScript for Python Developers

By: Sonyl Nagale

Overview of this book

Knowledge of Python is a great foundation for learning other languages. This book will help you advance in your software engineering career by leveraging your Python programming skills to learn JavaScript and apply its unique features not only for frontend web development but also for streamlining work on the backend. Starting with the basics of JavaScript, you’ll cover its syntax, its use in the browser, and its frameworks and libraries. From working with user interactions and ingesting data from APIs through to creating APIs with Node.js, this book will help you get up and running with JavaScript using hands-on exercises, code snippets, and detailed descriptions of JavaScript implementation and benefits. To understand the use of JavaScript in the backend, you’ll explore Node.js and discover how it communicates with databases. As you advance, you’ll get to grips with creating your own RESTful APIs and connecting the frontend and backend for holistic full-stack development knowledge. By the end of this Python JavaScript book, you’ll have the knowledge you need to write full-fledged web applications from start to finish. You’ll have also gained hands-on experience of working through several projects, which will help you advance in your career as a JavaScript developer.

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Hands-on JavaScript for Python Developers
Sonyl Nagale
Sep, 2020 | 410 pages
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Table of Contents (26 chapters)
Preface
Preface
Who this book is for
What this book covers
To get the most out of this book
Get in touch
1
Section 1 - What is JavaScript? What is it not?
Section 1 - What is JavaScript? What is it not?
Free Chapter
2
The Entrance of JavaScript into Mainstream Programming
The Entrance of JavaScript into Mainstream Programming
Technical requirements
NCSA and the need for interactivity
Early web browsers and a 10-day prototype
Enter Ecma International
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – the best friends of the frontend
How JavaScript fits into the frontend ecosystem
Summary
Questions
Further reading
3
Can We Use JavaScript Server-Side? Sure!
Can We Use JavaScript Server-Side? Sure!
Technical requirements
Why use JavaScript on the server side?
The Node.js ecosystem
Threading and asynchronicity
Summary
Questions
Further reading
4
Nitty-Gritty Grammar
Nitty-Gritty Grammar
Technical requirements
A history of style
Grammar rules
Punctuation and readability
The elephant in the room – whitespace
Existing standards – linting to the rescue!
Summary
Questions
Further reading
5
Data and Your Friend, JSON
Data and Your Friend, JSON
Technical requirements
Data types – both JavaScript and Python are dynamically typed!
Exploring data types
Arrays and sets
Objects and JSON
The HTTP verbs
API calls from the frontend – Ajax
Summary
Questions
Further reading
6
Section 2 - Using JavaScript on the Front-End
Section 2 - Using JavaScript on the Front-End
7
Hello World! and Beyond: Your First Application
Hello World! and Beyond: Your First Application
Technical requirements
I/O with the console and alert messages
Working with input in a function
Using objects as a datastore
Understanding scope
Summary
Questions
Further reading
8
The Document Object Model (DOM)
The Document Object Model (DOM)
Technical requirements
Using selectors
Properties
Manipulations
Summary
Questions
Further reading
9
Events, Event-Driven Design, and APIs
Events, Event-Driven Design, and APIs
Technical requirements
The event life cycle
Capturing an event and reading its properties
Using Ajax and events to populate API data
Handling asynchronicity
Summary
Questions
Further reading
10
Working with Frameworks and Libraries
Working with Frameworks and Libraries
Technical requirements
jQuery
Angular
React and React Native
Vue.js
Summary
Further reading
11
Deciphering Error Messages and Performance Leaks
Deciphering Error Messages and Performance Leaks
Technical requirements
The Error object
Using debuggers and other tools
Accommodating JavaScript's performance limitations
Summary
Questions
Further reading
12
JavaScript, Ruler of the Frontend
JavaScript, Ruler of the Frontend
Technical requirements
Building interactions
Using dynamic data
Understanding modern applications
Summary
13
Section 3 - The Back-End: Node.js vs. Python
Section 3 - The Back-End: Node.js vs. Python
14
What Is Node.js?
What Is Node.js?
Technical requirements
History and usage
Installation and usage
Grammar and structure
Hello, World!
Summary
Further reading
15
Node.js versus Python
Node.js versus Python
Technical requirements
Philosophical differences between Node.js and Python
Performance implications
Summary
Further reading
16
Using Express
Using Express
Technical requirements
The scaffold: Using express-generator
Routes and views
Controllers and data: Using APIs in Express
Creating an API with Express
Summary
Further reading
17
React with Django
React with Django
Technical requirements
Django setup
Creating the React frontend
Bringing it all together
Summary
18
Combining Node.js with the Frontend
Combining Node.js with the Frontend
Technical requirements
Understanding the architecture handshake
The frontend and Node.js - React and image upload
Creating a recipe book with APIs and JSON
Making a restaurant database with Yelp and Firebase
Summary
19
Enter Webpack
Enter Webpack
Technical requirements
The need for bundling and modules
Using webpack
Deploying our project
Summary
20
Section 4 - Communicating with Databases
Section 4 - Communicating with Databases
21
Security and Keys
Security and Keys
Technical requirements
Authentication versus authorization
Using Firebase
.gitignore and environment variables for credentials
Summary
22
Node.js and MongoDB
Node.js and MongoDB
Technical requirements
Using MongoDB
Storing and retrieving data
Wiring your API together
Summary
23
Putting It All Together
Putting It All Together
Technical requirements
The project brief
Scaffolding – React
The backend – setting up our API
The database – all CRUD operations
Summary
Further reading
24
Assessments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
25
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Deciphering Error Messages and Performance Leaks

Of course, no good language is complete without a means to detect and diagnose problems in your code. JavaScript provides rich error messages that are incredibly powerful and intuitive, but there are a few caveats and tips as you tiptoe through bug-ridden code.

As you probably know, finding a problem in your own code (a "bug") is one of the most frustrating events to occur to a developer. We pride ourselves on our code's ability to do its task, but sometimes we don't account for edge and corner cases. Additionally, error messages give us important information as we're in the process of coding by giving us important diagnostic information. Luckily, there are tools that can help us understand what's going on in our JavaScript.

Let's explore.

The following topics will be covered in this chapter:

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