Introduction
JQuery is a JavaScript library that may be used in a variety of ways. It’s a quick, robust, easy-to-learn library that encourages you to “write more, do less.” You can use JQuery to encapsulate numerous lines of JS code into functions that can be triggered with a single little bit of code. It simplifies a wide range of difficult operations, including DOM manipulation, event management, animation, HTML document navigation, and AJAX. The well-defined and simple-to-use JQuery API is compatible with various web browsers and makes JavaScript programming a breeze. Furthermore, JQuery offers plugins that can accomplish practically all jobs that would need a large amount of code if done with plain JavaScript.
What Are the Benefits of Learning JQuery?
Currently, many developers are jumping on the JQuery bandwagon, and why shouldn’t they? JQuery focuses on cross-browser oddities, compatibility challenges, and standardization concerns. It builds an abstraction layer that handles all workarounds. Let’s look at some of the reasons why JQuery is so popular, especially at the business level.
It Encourages Simplicity: Anyone new to JavaScript will find JQuery straightforward to master. It features a simple syntax and open coding standards, allowing you to construct fantastic websites.
It is Displayed Even When JS is Disabled: If Adobe Flash is not installed on any browser, there may be several rendering difficulties. As a result, developers must spend a significant amount of time coding for browsers that lack flash plugins. They no longer have to do this using JQuery.
It can create stunning applications: JQuery, like Flash, employs a mix of HTML, CSS, JS, and AJAX to accomplish stunning effects. As a result, you won’t need to engage a Flash developer individually.
Pages load faster: A slower page load time reduces your website’s performance and ranking in search engines. Adopting approaches that need relatively few code lines while achieving the intended effect is the greatest way to get a quicker load time. JQuery allows you to load tags just when you need them, which improves performance.
It is SEO-friendly: There are several plugins available to assist you in optimizing your JQuery snippets for search engines. All of your items may be included using simple unordered lists, a smart and healthy technique for improving SEO ranking.
There are several reasons to use JQuery in your next web development project. First and foremost, it is free and simple to use; it decreases waiting time by sending material to the client; and it is smaller than flash, resulting in smoother playbacks. Furthermore, it works everywhere, removing compatibility difficulties and minimal learning curves. Most significantly, it is SEO and CSS compatible.
While the use of JQuery has declined dramatically in the past due to the huge popularity of ReactJs and AngularJs, it is still considered old technology and is valued by many.
JQuery will not be able to reclaim its former glory. It will, however, continue to exist as a legacy. The primary reason is that Bootstrap still utilizes JQuery in nearly all of its code snippets. As a result, if you like Bootstrap, you should also learn JQuery.
Furthermore, in addition to contemporary frameworks such as Vue, React, Angular, and others, it’s always a good idea to include JavaScript and JQuery in your portfolio. When applying for web development employment, or even just front-end developers, employers want you to have a basic grasp of JS, JQuery, and AJAX. JQuery, on the other hand, has its own set of applications. It is still utilized in various projects, ranging from enterprise-level eCommerce apps to elegant and straightforward landing sites. If you don’t know CSS, it’s still useful for quick prototyping and even animation. It may be out of date, but it is far from dead.
Prerequisites
Before you get hold of JQuery, you should have a firm grasp of the following concepts. You should be familiar with and have worked with CSS and HTML foundations. You should have practical experience building a small website and understanding CSS selectors like classes, ids, and pseudo-elements.
You should also have a basic grasp of programming and have practiced the fundamentals. It is also feasible to start working with JQuery without a prior understanding of JavaScript. However, it is strongly advised that you should be familiar with essential concepts like objects, variables, data types, etc.
You should also be familiar with DOM manipulation, as JQuery is frequently used to alter HTML DOM components.
How to Setup JQuery?
There are primarily two methods for embedding JQuery in your web pages. Please keep in mind that JQuery is nothing more than a JavaScript file that must be linked with your HTML files. You may:
Download the JQuery library from its official website.
You may also use a CDN to link to the file. A CDN (Content Delivery Network) is a collection of servers that distribute online content to users based on their geographic location. When you link to a JQuery file through CDN, it comes faster and loads more effectively than when you host it on your own server.
Obtaining a Copy of JQuery
The JQuery file may be downloaded in two different versions. Because it is compressed and minified, the production version is utilized for live websites. As it is legible and uncompressed, the development version is mainly used for testing and development.
To download, please go to the JQuery website. After you’ve downloaded it, you may use the script> tag inside the head section of your HTML files to refer to it.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, we have covered the following subjects in this step-by-step guide.
We began with a quick overview of JQuery and how you can use it to make your work experience more frictionless. We next spoke about why you should learn JQuery, with a few points outlining its benefits and use-cases. We explored why, despite its waning popularity, it is still used to build dynamic web applications.
We next moved on to talk about the prerequisites for learning JQuery. We discussed how understanding HTML, CSS, and JavaScript might help you comprehend JQuery better. We looked at two distinct approaches to using JQuery in your scripts.
Following that, we highlighted four basic and simple actions you may take to learn JQuery fast and fully. We spoke about how JQuery can drastically cut the number of code lines required to achieve the same JavaScript functionality.
