JSConf US 2014 Training

We'll cover the fundamentals of JavaScript, with a focus on the language features and questions everyone has in their first year of working in JavaScript, such as: "What does it mean for a function to have properties?" "How do I use the arguments object?" "Why can't I use a for loop to iterate over an array?" "Can variables be used as references to other variables?"

Learn the details of how JavaScript scopes behave, and how to use the powerful tool of closures. Closures are everywhere in JS code, so understanding how to read them will dramatically improve your ability to read and debug any application.

We'll cover the basics on how to get started with Node.js, how to use the Node.js repl to run JavaScript files and spin up your first Node.js server using Express.js! This is an intermediate session for developers familiar with JavaScript syntax, interfacing with asynchronous systems, and at least minor use of the command line.

It's not you, it's JavaScript. The keyword 'this' trips everybody up at first, and continues to do so long after it rightly should. We'll cover the 4 simple rules that can lead you out of nearly any confusing situation. By the end, you'll be equipped to confidently say what 'this' refers to at any point in your runtime.

JavaScript offers a simple feature called "prototype chains" to support various forms of code sharing. Before diving into the deep end of pseudoclassical instantiation and subclassing, you'll want to thoroughly know all the gotchas of this little feature they're built upon.

The majority of JavaScript applications rely on the language's asynchronous features. Understanding how your interpreter's internal event loop behaves will help you in your use of event systems and in debugging difficult race conditions. We'll explore how you can use the event systems found in every JS interpreter, every browser, many libraries like jQuery, and practically every MVC framework.

We'll explore the patterns that you see every day in JavaScript code bases, and teach you to use the features you've learned to clean up and DRY out your code, including methods, mixins, and classes.

Learn the fundamentals to get started with Backbone.js. Models, Collections and Views are covered as well as next steps to continue mastering this MV* Framework. This is an advanced class for developers familiar with JavaScript classes, jQuery, and use of 3rd party libraries.

Most of the documentation to be found on the internet describing JavaScript classes, prototype chains, and the keyword 'new' is confusing or even misleading. However, there is a small set of foundational rules that can clarify almost any use case. We'll examine the nuances that trip most people up, and give you a full working understanding of how to read and write various different flavors of JavaScript classes.