JavaScript for Rails Developers
Make JavaScript your second-favorite language
For decades Ruby on Rails devs have shrugged at JavaScript, cursed at it or vowed to never use it again. But over the years, JavaScript has improved greatly. And if you want to write modern (SaaS) web apps today, there is simply no way around it.
Sure, the Hotwire tools help you tremendously to write as little JavaScript as possible, but if you want something a bit more bespoke, you need to write some JavaScript (preferably using Stimulus) by hand.
This short and focused book will help you, Ruby on Rails developer, become more comfortable writing your own JavaScript and understand the JavaScript written by others. It won't be about React or Vue (or any of the other thousands available JS frameworks), but about writing and understand JavaScript in the Hotwire-way.
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Table of Contents
This is the tentative table of contents. Let me know if you want to see a specific subject.
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Introduction
- Why JavaScript Cannot Be Denied
- Overview of JavaScript Evolution
- Do You Really Need JavaScript?
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Do You Really Need JavaScript?
- When CSS is enough
- Balancing Between Server-Side and Client-Side Logic
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DOM Manipulation
- Basics of the Document Object Model
- Select and Modify Elements with JavaScript
- Event Handling and Listeners
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Essentials
- Understanding JavaScript Syntax and Features
- Variables, Functions, and Scope
- ES6+ Features: Let, Const, Arrow Functions, and More
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Advanced JavaScript
- Asynchronous JavaScript: Callbacks, Promises, and Async/Await
- JavaScript Modules and Imports
- Error Handling and Debugging
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JavaScript and Stimulus
- What is Stimulus
- Beyond The Basic Examples
- Stimulus Best Practices
- Conclusion
FAQ
When will the book be published?
At this point there is the outline and only a few chapters written. Aim is at the end of 2024 or early 2025. Based on the feedback it will be earlier or later.
Is the book for beginners?
Yes, and no. If you a Rails veteran but always steered away from JavaScript, this book might just be for you. If you are just starting out with Rails, I would recommend to focus on Ruby (and Rails) first, and then come back to buy this book.
How will the book be published?
Plan is to distribute digitally for the default platforms (HTML, PDF and e-book formats).