JavaScript is becoming a universal, ubiquitous language. Though it was initially designed to make web pages dynamic, it has gone beyond that. It invaded server space by efforts like Node.js. It’s the language to develop cross platform mobile applications. In fact in HP WebOS operating system, JavaScript is used to build native applications too. So when JavaScript is poised for world domination, it becomes very important to develop quality and complex applications using this language. In that journey of developing applications, “JavaScript Patterns” by Stoyan Stefanov, may help you immensely to create and develop new things or to garnish your thinking.

Why is that you have to read yet another JavaScript book?” Even though we have “JavaScript: The good parts”,which is a concise reference to good practices and also there are number of books for design patterns in store. So where does this book fit in your shelf?

The following are few highlights which may set it apart from the rest.

###1.Talks about JavaScript independent of Browser

The first few chapters of this book discusses about JavaScript without even mentioning about the browsers. Wait!!….. “JavaScript without a browser!!!??? “ Yes!!!! JavaScript, is no more a browser only language!! It can be run on other platforms like V8, WebOS and upcoming windows 8. So the book looks at the language without the messy DOM, so that you can appreciate the intuitiveness of the language.

###2. Patterns, Patterns, Patterns

Every pattern you find in GoF book is discussed here using JavaScript. This book doesn’t follow GoF way of explaining the patterns since it doesn’t make any sense for dynamic languages like JavaScript. The book also gives few examples of patterns from open source libraries like JQuery, YUI which helps the reader to have the glimpse of practical use of patterns.

###3. Good, Bad and ugly

Douglas crockford “JavaScript: The Good parts” is immensely popular in JavaScript community. This book takes the good practices of the former to the next level by combining them with design patterns. Few things, which were really good, like “eval is evil” found in the former you find it here too.

###4. ECMA 5 standard

One of the fewest JavaScript books to talk about latest ECMA standard. It talks about the upcoming features in languages and also talks about how your code should be ready to harness it.

###5. Development vs. Deployment

If you think deploying a JavaScript heavy application is just putting the scripts into html pages, this book proves you wrong!! The book discuses about deployment enhancements like minification, caching, script combing which reduces bandwidth requirements.

###Conclusion

It’s a must read JavaScript book for anyone who is developing or who have the plans to develop an application using JavaScript. 240 pages book packs great information and writing style makes you learn a lot about the language as smooth as possible. So give it a shot :) Happy reading… :)