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CoffeeScript: Accelerated JavaScript Development
For 15 years, dynamic web content has been written in a single JavaScript. Now, for the first time, programmers have an alternative that doesn't add an extra layer of abstraction or require plugins. CoffeeScript provides all of JavaScript's functionality wrapped in a cleaner, more succinct syntax that encourages use of "the good parts" of the language.
Accelerated JavaScript Development is aimed at programmers who want to get a grip on this new language while improving their understanding of JavaScript. You'll learn about time-saving features like list comprehensions and splats, organize your code into modules with extensible classes, and get your feet wet with jQuery by building a fast-paced word game.
The book also introduces Node.js, the foremost server-side JavaScript environment. Node and CoffeeScript turn out to be a great match, allowing you to develop the front and back ends of a web application in the same language. With CoffeeScript in your toolkit, you can write great code anywhere.
Accelerated JavaScript Development is aimed at programmers who want to get a grip on this new language while improving their understanding of JavaScript. You'll learn about time-saving features like list comprehensions and splats, organize your code into modules with extensible classes, and get your feet wet with jQuery by building a fast-paced word game.
The book also introduces Node.js, the foremost server-side JavaScript environment. Node and CoffeeScript turn out to be a great match, allowing you to develop the front and back ends of a web application in the same language. With CoffeeScript in your toolkit, you can write great code anywhere.
127 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2011
12 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 31, 2011
As a preface: coffeescript is awesome. This book is not.
The first four chapters are good, but way to short. I wanted way more 'this is how it works' and more examples of good looking code. Many of the code examples are ugly.
The last two chapters are not related to the rest of the book, and not why I purchased this book.
I'm sure eventually later editions of this will be much better or other better books will be published. I feel like printing out the online docs would have been a better option.
The first four chapters are good, but way to short. I wanted way more 'this is how it works' and more examples of good looking code. Many of the code examples are ugly.
The last two chapters are not related to the rest of the book, and not why I purchased this book.
I'm sure eventually later editions of this will be much better or other better books will be published. I feel like printing out the online docs would have been a better option.
November 16, 2015
There's not really a lot to say about this book - if you're interested in CoffeeScript, then it's great. It summarizes a lot of what CoffeeScript is about, the syntax, and is basically very good documentation on the language.
Personally my experience with CoffeeScript is pretty limited - in fact on a few projects where CoffeeScript was the default language for client-side code, I wound up writing JavaScript and then using a converter to convert it to CoffeeScript. The CS was definitely shorter, but I always found it confusing. There's something about the syntax that I just generally find baffling for some reason.
This book helped things make a lot more sense for me. The weird language and syntax quirks started making a lot more sense, and the weirdness around variable scope finally clicked for me. That said, I still prefer writing JavaScript to writing CoffeeScript, and I realize that makes me a cranky old man but it's true. This isn't really the fault of the book or anything but I felt like it's worth mentioning that it didn't make a "convert" out of me or anything.
Full disclosure: I was a technical reviewer for this book.
Personally my experience with CoffeeScript is pretty limited - in fact on a few projects where CoffeeScript was the default language for client-side code, I wound up writing JavaScript and then using a converter to convert it to CoffeeScript. The CS was definitely shorter, but I always found it confusing. There's something about the syntax that I just generally find baffling for some reason.
This book helped things make a lot more sense for me. The weird language and syntax quirks started making a lot more sense, and the weirdness around variable scope finally clicked for me. That said, I still prefer writing JavaScript to writing CoffeeScript, and I realize that makes me a cranky old man but it's true. This isn't really the fault of the book or anything but I felt like it's worth mentioning that it didn't make a "convert" out of me or anything.
Full disclosure: I was a technical reviewer for this book.
March 23, 2016
This book is interesting, but it fails to make a compelling case for CoffeeScript.
(1) Nearly all of the features the author describes as benefits of CoffeeScript exist in ECMAScript 6, only there they have been done properly, in a systemic revamp of the language.
(2) The author claims a major selling point is that CoffeeScript has lots of shortcuts, and special notations to let you save key-presses. He points out that this is like Ruby, which is, to my mind, not a positive. I am very firmly of the opinion of the Python school - there should be one consistent notation. Consistency and syntactic clarity are worth more than number of characters typed.
In other words, the book fails to make the case for CoffeeScript's existence as anything other than a niche product for hipsters.
(1) Nearly all of the features the author describes as benefits of CoffeeScript exist in ECMAScript 6, only there they have been done properly, in a systemic revamp of the language.
(2) The author claims a major selling point is that CoffeeScript has lots of shortcuts, and special notations to let you save key-presses. He points out that this is like Ruby, which is, to my mind, not a positive. I am very firmly of the opinion of the Python school - there should be one consistent notation. Consistency and syntactic clarity are worth more than number of characters typed.
In other words, the book fails to make the case for CoffeeScript's existence as anything other than a niche product for hipsters.
March 13, 2013
Generally, I got a lot out of this book. There have been a couple things in JavaScript that I never really understood, and whether its coffeescript's design or the author's writing, I finally grasped a couple things. That said, while its helpful to know a bit about how jquery and coffeescript play together (or node.js), its not why I bought the book. I could have used some more rigorous examples, and a bit more time on some of the more confusing aspects of the language itself.
October 9, 2011
Good book to those who are new to CoffeeScript, but prior talking about javascript, at least a basic introduction to javascript is a must. Good read on the book and amazing exercises at the end of every chapters. Exercises really make you aware of the gist and important part of a particular chapter.
May 25, 2011
Excelente cobertura de coffeescript. Muy ameno y simple. Esta bueno el ejemplo
Que se desarrolla a lo largo del libro mostrando todas las formas que se puede utilizar coffe, incluso desde el server con Node.js
Que se desarrolla a lo largo del libro mostrando todas las formas que se puede utilizar coffe, incluso desde el server con Node.js
Read
March 10, 2014Read half. Happy w that for now.
February 5, 2012
Quick tutorial in usual pragprogs' style. You get the basics but always want to read another book to fully understand the subject.
August 29, 2015
Good overview with multiple realistic use-cases culminating in an interesting game program written in front and back in CoffeeScript
March 6, 2012
Quite a good introduction to CoffeeScript and does a nice job pointing out what's good about CoffeeScript versus JavaScript.
June 28, 2022
A great intro and overview, but nothing you couldn't get from a series of blogs and web tutorials. Just nice to have it all in one place on my bookshelf.
June 14, 2013
This was a great introduction to coffeescript, I would prefer this book if you already know javascript though.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews