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Notes from previous [[Frontend Web Development]] classes.
Notes from previous [[Frontend Web Development]] classes.


=== Series 2 ===
=== Series 3 ===
==== Class for 2013-02-11: Mobile websites ====
We took [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class17/blog.zip this blog] and turned it into a mobile-accessible website via the use of media queries. We also talked about the rest of the world of the mobile web: user agent strings, frameworks like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch, and the future of HTML5/CSS3 in mobile website and app development.


==== Class for 2012-04-30: CSS floats ====
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjEJrNgrJVw Lecture video]'''<br>
We learned about floats by taking a look at some [http://nytimes.com examples (inspect the page)]. We then took a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/answersheet.zip created a site] from it.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class17/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-04-23: CSS positioning ====
==== Class for 2013-02-11: HTML5 elements ====
We focused on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, positioning them absolutely on the page, positioning them relatively, fixed and more. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class3/lecture.zip Lecture materials can be downloaded here.]
We took an entertaining (in my opinion) look through [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class16/html.zip this page containing every currently valid HTML element]. Many of them are considered "HTML5", but that's just because they're new.


==== Class for 2012-04-16: CSS selectors and the box model ====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or9Y1facTtc Lecture video]'''<br>
We expanded on last week's site to make [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class2/lecture.zip this site], which added complex selectors and margin rules.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class16/html.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-04-09: the basics ====
==== Class for 2013-02-04: More useful jQuery plugins ====
We created [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class1/lecture.zip this simple site] to demonstrate HTML and CSS basics.
Our final jQuery-focused class touched on a number of other common plugins that are found in the wild. We took a closer look at Bootstrap and jQuery UI, and looked at plugins that make your page look super snazzy:
* [http://jqueryui.com/demos/datepicker/ Datepicker (jQuery UI)] - fancy datepickers appearing near your input fields
* [http://jqueryui.com/demos/accordion/ Accordion (jQuery UI)] - collapse and unfold lists of elements
* [http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/javascript.html#scrollspy Scrollspy (Bootstrap)] - change navs to highlight where you are scrolled on a page
* [http://jquery.malsup.com/cycle/ Cycle] - make easy slideshows
* [http://harvesthq.github.com/chosen/ Chosen] - style dropdowns


=== Series 1 ===
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35CJx9lkGyE Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class15/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-03-26 ====
==== Class for 2013-01-28: Sign-up forms ====
Download the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class18/class18.zip site we walked through]. It's a responsive site with slight jQuery magic and a bunch of semantic HTML and CSS trickery. A good rollup of all the stuff we've learned in the class.
We continued working on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class13/lecture.zip our site] and added a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We used the [http://bassistance.de/jquery-plugins/jquery-plugin-validation/ jQuery Validation plugin]. This is a very common request from clients and it comes in handy to know all the tips and tricks of forms and validation, and what new HTML5 elements can provide.


==== Class for 2012-03-12 ====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Tv6uPMmQNY Lecture video]'''<br>
Verbatim notes for my personal use:
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class14/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


What to do:
==== Class for 2013-01-14: Menus and modals ====
* Always start with HTML
We went back to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class13/noiseco.zip "professional" site we'd put together a number of weeks ago] and added more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We first made a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We did this by introducing [http://jqueryui.com/ jQuery UI] to make common web development tasks easier. We also add some dropdown functionality to our menus using pure CSS, but this can be done using jQuery UI or [http://twitter.github.com/bootstrap/ Bootstrap] as well.
* Add presentation and behavior next
* Assume nothing about your audience
* Be as semantic as possible
* Use [http://www.html5please.com www.html5please.com]


What not to do:
'''No video for this class. :('''<br>
* Use inline style tags
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class13/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
* Implement security on the frontend
* Expect links to work only with JS - modals, AJAX, etc.
* Tell users to upgrade
* Start with a rich site and then work backward


Benefits:
==== Class for 2013-01-07: AJAX ====
* Starting with the basics makes cross-browser testing easier
We talked about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We added AJAX functionality to [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class10/lecture.zip our app we've been building on]. We used this [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class9/tweet.php.zip PHP file] to test it out.
* Makes your site more modular - can switch stylesheets or remove behavior on-the-fly
* Makes development in teams easier


Drawbacks:
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS-uoDnslh8 Lecture video]'''<br>
* App- or game-like sites might be hard to support
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class12/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
* Supporting all browsers off-the-bat might slow down productivity
* Can't use cool new CSS3/HTML5 stuff in production yet


Schedule:
==== Class for 2012-12-17: File transfer ====
* Create a simple site with an HTML5 sectioning elements
We talked about file transfer - not only uploading files using FTP, but using the web browser to get and send information via forms and other methods (an overall talk about HTTP GET/POST).
* Add CSS
* Add JS
* Show site without CSS and JS added on
* Show site in IE6
* Install ChromeVox and read through site
* Explain browser "hacks"
* Explain JS feature testing (modernizr)
* Show what not to do
* Show [http://html5boilerplate.com/ HTML5 Boilerplate]


==== Class for 2012-03-05 ====
We downloaded and installed [http://filezilla-project.org FileZilla] and signed up for a [https://nearlyfreespeech.net NearlyFreeSpeech.NET] hosting account.
[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class15/examples.zip Download the CSS3 examples I created in-class.]


Other great resources:
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohL0FRC9us8 Lecture video]'''<br>
* [http://simurai.com/tagged/lab Simurai's lab]
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class11/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
* [http://css3please.com/ CSS3 Please!]
* [http://caniuse.com/ When can I use...]
* [http://jeffreyatw.com/portfolio Jeffrey's portfolio - see Menorah and Draggy under HTML5 Toys]


==== Class for 2012-02-27 ====
==== Class for 2012-12-10: jQuery, cont'd ====
We worked on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class14/blog.zip this blog] and turned it into a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class14/answersheet.zip mobile-accessible website]. We also talked about user agent strings, frameworks like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch, and talked about the future of HTML5/CSS3 in mobile website development.
We continued learning about jQuery by focusing on [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class5/answer%20sheet.zip the example we saw last week]. We're added functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.


==== Class for 2012-02-20 ====
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMKdZ0IlD48 Lecture video]'''<br>
We took a look at a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class13/html5_elements.zip page containing every currently valid HTML element]. Many of them are considered "HTML5", but that's just because they're new.
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class10/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-02-13 ====
==== Class for 2012-12-03: jQuery ====
We added to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class11/answersheet.zip site from last class] and [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class12/answersheet.zip added a sign-up form with validation to it].
We introduced jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier.


==== Class for 2012-02-06 ====
'''No video for this class. :('''<br>
We added to the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class10/answersheet.zip site from last class] and [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class11/answersheet.zip added modals/submenus to it].
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class9/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-01-30 ====
==== Class for 2012-11-26: JavaScript, cont'd ====
We worked off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class10/mockup.png this mockup] and the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class10/mockup_annotations.png annotated version]. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class10/assets.zip Assets were found here].
We continued discussed JavaScript basics: arrays, iterators, loops, creating functions, and the debugger.


We took all of this and turned it into [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class10/answersheet.zip this site].
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_4Z33l0lnY Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class8/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-01-23 ====
==== Class for 2012-11-12: JavaScript ====
I made accounts on my web hosting, but I suggested students get web hosting space at [https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/ NearlyFreeSpeech.Net], which will set you up with a pay-as-you-go site. It's free until you start getting a significant amount of traffic.
We talked about JavaScript: making webpages interactive through client-side code. We used the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language.


Here is the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class8/jQuery.zip source for the previous class's Twitter client], and [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class9/tweet.php.zip a PHP file to respond to AJAX requests].
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP6_pd25-Ps Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class7/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2012-01-16 ====
==== Class for 2012-11-05: Working from professional mockups, cont'd ====
[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class8/jQuery.zip Highly-commented source for the slideshow and Twitter client we worked on.]
We continued putting our professional-looking site together from [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class5/lecture.zip where we left off].


==== Class for 2011-12-19 ====
As a reminder, here is the [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version]. [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].
We modified [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class5/noisetwitter.zip this document] to become an interactive web application: [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class5/answer%20sheet.zip download the full web application here].


==== Class for 2011-12-12 ====
[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/class11/index.html Here is the code that the mockup was based off of] - a good way to check your work. It might differ slightly from what we did in class.
Consider downloading [http://filezilla-project.org/ FileZilla] for a head start.


Here's a simpler mockup we used for the 7:30 recap:
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvC4ZLFpbtE Lecture video]'''<br>
[[File:Frontend_Web_Mockup_2.png|thumb|none]]
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class6/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


==== Class for 2011-12-05 ====
==== Class for 2012-10-22: Working from professional mockups ====
We turned a mockup into HTML and CSS. This is the mockup we used:
We worked off of [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup.png this mockup] and its [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/mockup_annotations.png annotated version] to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class5/assets.zip Image assets can be found here].
[[File:Frontend_Web_Mockup_1.png|thumb|none]]


Please consider downloading the [http://www.gimp.org/ GNU Image Manipulation Tool (GIMP)], as we might be opening it up to work with this mockup. Photoshop or Fireworks will work swimmingly if you have them, though.
'''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to3-VjUPU64 Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class5/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''


[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/Frontend%20Mockup%20class%20December%202011.zip Here is the "answer sheet" for the above mockup.]
==== Class for 2012-10-15: CSS floats ====
Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We learned about floats by taking a look at some examples, then took a [http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series2/class4/mockup.png mockup] and created a site from it.


==== Class for 2011-11-22 ====
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJeN9P8x1VE Lecture video]'''<br>
Two articles worth reading for a thorough understanding of CSS positioning:
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class4/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
* http://www.alistapart.com/articles/css-positioning-101/
 
* http://www.alistapart.com/articles/css-floats-101/
==== Class for 2012-10-08: CSS positioning ====
We focused on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, positioning them absolutely on the page, positioning them relatively, fixed and more.
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTL_YDz3zmo Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class3/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2012-10-01: CSS selectors and the box model ====
CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we looked at them further in-depth. We also talked about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.
 
'''No video for this class. :('''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class2/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
==== Class for 2012-09-24: the basics ====
We covered the very basics:
* Explaining "frontend" vs. "backend"
* Discussing tools of the trade
* Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior
* Writing a basic HTML page
* Styling the page with basic CSS
* Explaining the role of frontend web development as a job and career
 
'''[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r87aEOpelzQ Lecture video]'''<br>
'''[http://jeffreyatw.com/static/frontend/series3/class1/lecture.zip Lecture materials]'''
 
----
 
[[Frontend_Web_Development/Notes/Archive|Notes archive]]

Revision as of 21:37, 28 February 2013

Notes from previous Frontend Web Development classes.

Series 3

Class for 2013-02-11: Mobile websites

We took this blog and turned it into a mobile-accessible website via the use of media queries. We also talked about the rest of the world of the mobile web: user agent strings, frameworks like jQuery Mobile and Sencha Touch, and the future of HTML5/CSS3 in mobile website and app development.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-02-11: HTML5 elements

We took an entertaining (in my opinion) look through this page containing every currently valid HTML element. Many of them are considered "HTML5", but that's just because they're new.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-02-04: More useful jQuery plugins

Our final jQuery-focused class touched on a number of other common plugins that are found in the wild. We took a closer look at Bootstrap and jQuery UI, and looked at plugins that make your page look super snazzy:

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-01-28: Sign-up forms

We continued working on our site and added a sign-up form, with validation, inside the modal. We used the jQuery Validation plugin. This is a very common request from clients and it comes in handy to know all the tips and tricks of forms and validation, and what new HTML5 elements can provide.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-01-14: Menus and modals

We went back to the "professional" site we'd put together a number of weeks ago and added more functionality to it with some jQuery plugins. We first made a dialog box - or a "modal" - pop up when you click the sign up buttons. We did this by introducing jQuery UI to make common web development tasks easier. We also add some dropdown functionality to our menus using pure CSS, but this can be done using jQuery UI or Bootstrap as well.

No video for this class. :(
Lecture materials

Class for 2013-01-07: AJAX

We talked about Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, a technology that allows us to talk to a server without leaving the page. jQuery makes this extremely easy. We added AJAX functionality to our app we've been building on. We used this PHP file to test it out.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-12-17: File transfer

We talked about file transfer - not only uploading files using FTP, but using the web browser to get and send information via forms and other methods (an overall talk about HTTP GET/POST).

We downloaded and installed FileZilla and signed up for a NearlyFreeSpeech.NET hosting account.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-12-10: jQuery, cont'd

We continued learning about jQuery by focusing on the example we saw last week. We're added functionality to it that made it seem more like the real thing.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-12-03: jQuery

We introduced jQuery, a JavaScript library that makes web programming a whole lot easier.

No video for this class. :(
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-11-26: JavaScript, cont'd

We continued discussed JavaScript basics: arrays, iterators, loops, creating functions, and the debugger.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-11-12: JavaScript

We talked about JavaScript: making webpages interactive through client-side code. We used the console, which is part of the browser's developer tools, to demonstrate the basics of the language.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-11-05: Working from professional mockups, cont'd

We continued putting our professional-looking site together from where we left off.

As a reminder, here is the mockup and its annotated version. Image assets can be found here.

Here is the code that the mockup was based off of - a good way to check your work. It might differ slightly from what we did in class.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-10-22: Working from professional mockups

We worked off of this mockup and its annotated version to make a site that could pass as a professional design (but don't take my word for it). Image assets can be found here.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-10-15: CSS floats

Floating is the secret sauce behind creating websites with multiple columns, navigation menus, and basically any block element that's aligned to the left or right. We learned about floats by taking a look at some examples, then took a mockup and created a site from it.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-10-08: CSS positioning

We focused on positioning of elements: spacing them out from other elements using margins, positioning them absolutely on the page, positioning them relatively, fixed and more.

Lecture video
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-10-01: CSS selectors and the box model

CSS selectors are probably the most complex part of the CSS language, so we looked at them further in-depth. We also talked about the box model, the display concept that makes words and containers on the web look like they do.

No video for this class. :(
Lecture materials

Class for 2012-09-24: the basics

We covered the very basics:

  • Explaining "frontend" vs. "backend"
  • Discussing tools of the trade
  • Explaining the separation between structure, presentation, and behavior
  • Writing a basic HTML page
  • Styling the page with basic CSS
  • Explaining the role of frontend web development as a job and career

Lecture video
Lecture materials


Notes archive