September 16, 2010

jQuery for Non Programmers

Presenter: Michael Slater & Tony Fardella

In the past few years, jQuery has risen to prominence as JavaScript library of choice for most web designers. One of the great things about jQuery is the vast array of plugins available, which make it simple to create rich interactive pages with just a few lines of code. jQuery is relatively easy for web designers to learn because of the way it uses CSS selectors and a very readable syntax. And in the bargain, it eliminates (nearly) all concerns about cross-browser compatibility.

We'll explain just enough JavaScript to enable you to cut-and-paste jQuery examples and use plugins without getting into (too much) trouble. We'll assume you understand simple HTML, the rudiments of CSS selectors, and the most basic programming concepts, but nothing more.

We'll show examples, with code that you can use on any web page (whether it be a static site or built with any CMS), for:

• Showing and hiding content when you click a heading
• Tabbed areas
• Drop-down and fly-out menus
• Calendars and date pickers
• Photo galleries, slideshows, carousels, and lightboxes
• Video players
• Tooltips
• Form enhancements

and more, as time allows.

Have a favorite jQuery plugin? Or a web page you like and are wondering how it works? Bring an example to share.