If you code with JavaScript, learning what jQuery is and how to use it can streamline your workflow. It can make your coding practices faster and more efficient, saving energy and time.
This article will explain how to use jQuery in the web development environment, as well as its essential benefits and features. We will also provide a list of short tutorials showing the use of jQuery to help you understand how it works.
What is jQuery?
jQuery is an open source minified JavaScript library created to simplify JavaScript operations. You can use jQuery to quickly code a number of different commands that would take much longer using HTML code.
What is a JavaScript library? How is it used in web development?
A JavaScript library is made up of JavaScript files with various functions. Many JS libraries, like React, can serve a specific purpose, either on the client or server side.
The jQuery library is possibly the most popular JS library on the market today. It is easy to modify and use. Additionally, jQuery has a large community with extensive learning resources, tutorials, and other documentation.
Best of all, jQuery is compatible with other JavaScript libraries and has a ton of plugins to help extend its functionality. However, it does not work with other programming languages.
Advantages and disadvantages of jQuery
If you are still weighing whether it is beneficial to learn jQuery or not, here are the pros and cons of using this JS library for web development.
Advantage
One of the main features of the jQuery library is event handling. The creation of events, such as the function of mouse click and the form submission, it only requires a few lines of code. This helps keep the HTML code clean and free from various event handlers.
Modifying HTML elements is also easier with its function of manipulation of the Document Object Model (DOM). The easy-to-use web browser interface allows you to add, edit, and remove web elements using various event methods.
The , in particular, makes jQuery ideal for developing a responsive website using AJAX features. This feature improves the user experience by simplifying HTTP request operations without reloading the web page.
Also, jQuery comes with a bunch of animation effects incorporated. It even allows you to create custom animations made up of the CSS properties you choose.
Also, jQuery is compatible with all browsers, so it is compatible with the most popular browsers. Also works with CSS3 selectors and with the XML Path Language (XPath) syntax.
Note that adding jQuery scripts to a website is easiest through a content delivery network (CDN). This way you don’t have to download and store the library file in the site folder.
Disadvantages
Despite being lightweight, the jQuery library is huge. As the code base continues to grow, it takes longer to open the JS file, putting additional load on the user’s computer.
jQuery also makes it difficult to learn and use JavaScript due to its abstraction. While it makes creating events simple for beginners, performing complicated tasks like manipulating the DOM will require more knowledge of JavaScript to get the desired result.
The biggest downside is the fact that jQuery doesn’t allow backwards compatibility. Since jQuery has many released versions, you have to host the library yourself and update it regularly.
Important features of jQuery
If you want to learn how jQuery can benefit you, let’s look at the examples of essential functions.
1. hide() function
The function hide() hides HTML elements, making them no longer affect the HTML page. Serves as an animation method if combined with the duration and smoothness parameters, as well as the .
2. show() function
The function Show() displays the HTML elements. It only works on elements hidden by the function hide(). Also, it becomes an animation method function if given a parameter, just like hide().
3. toggle() function
The function toggle() modifies the visibility of HTML elements based on their CSS display property via a click event. If an element is visible, this function will hide it. If it is hidden, the opposite will happen. Web developers often use this feature to convert multiple animations into a sequence.
Given a parameter, this function can bind two or more functions to particular elements. It allows you to toggle between functions by clicking on the element. Note that this function signature was deprecated in version 1.8 of jQuery and was removed in version 1.9.
4. fadeIn() function
The function fadeIn() modifies the opacity of HTML elements so that they appear gradually on the HTML page. Pair it with the speed or callback function to adjust the speed of the animation and fire the next event once the matching elements fully appear.
5. fadeOut() function
This jQuery function works in the opposite way to the function fadeIn(). Like hide() Y Show(), fadeIn() Y fadeOut() they become animation methods if they are given a parameter.
6. fadeToggle() function
The function fadeToggle() works similar to the function toggle(). Allows the user to gradually show or hide specific elements.
7. slideUp() function
The function slideUp() hides elements with a sliding animation. Accompany it with the duration and smoothness parameters to adjust the duration of the animation.
8. slideDown() function
The function slideDown() displays items with a slider animation. It also accepts duration and smoothness parameters.
9. slideToggle() function
The function slideToggle() allows you to toggle between the slideUp() and slideDown() functions to show or hide elements.
10. animate() function
This feature animates elements using one or more CSS properties. Like the previous features, it allows you to adjust the duration of the animation and the transition mode, as well as trigger the next feature after completion.
Note that the function animate() can’t show hidden elements like slideDown() Y fadeIn().
jQuery Examples
The following example shows how to use the functions slideDown(), slideUp() Y slideToggle():
$(“#flip”).click(function(){ $(“#panel”).slideDown(); });
Here is an example of how to use the functions Hide() Y Show().
$(“#hide”).click(function(){ $(“p”).hide(); }); $(“#show”).click(function(){ $(“p”).show(); });
This example shows a code block of the function animate():
$(“button”).click(function(){ $(“div”).animate({ left: ‘250px’, height: ‘+=150px’, width: ‘+=150px’ }); });
Here is an example of CSS manipulation:
$(“button”).click(function(){ $(“h1, h2, p”).toggleClass(“blue”); });
conclusion
jQuery is one of the most popular JavaScript libraries in the world. It offers many advantages to web developers, so learning how to use it should be your priority.
Using the jQuery library allows you to write less JavaScript code while still getting all of its functionality. This allows you to work more efficiently and focus on other parts of the project.
We hope this jQuery tutorial will give you a better understanding of what the jQuery library is and how to get started with it. If you have any more questions, be sure to leave a comment below.
Gustavo is passionate about creating websites. He focuses on the application of SEO strategies at for Spain and Latin America, as well as the creation of high-level content. When he is not applying new WordPress tricks you can find him playing the guitar, traveling or taking an online course.
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