JavaScript: from basics to building custom frameworks

Sameer Sundresh and Erik Hinterbichler

JavaScript is one of the most widely used--and misused--languages on the
web today.  This tutorial is intended to help experienced programmers
quickly become competent JavaScript programmers.  The tutorial will
first introduce the JavaScript language, and then walk through the
process of building custom language features using JavaScript's
object-oriented and functional programming capabilities.  The tutorial
content is inspired by the presenters' own experiences in building rich
web applications, and will consider the HCI and development process
needs that client-side web languages and frameworks must satisfy.  The
major topics of the tutorial are as follows.

1. The JavaScript language
1.1 Basics: JS as a C-like language
1.2 OO: the JS prototype-based object model
1.3 FP: JS as a functional programming language

2. Building new language constructs within JS
2.1 Currying, binding, and other simple features
2.2 Class-based inheritance
2.3 A dependency-based module system
2.4 Declarative widgets: using JS to extend HTML

Software requirements: the tutorial will be presented using Firefox and
Firebug.  Attendees who wish to work through the tutorial exercises
should install Firefox and Firebug beforehand.

All example code and presentation materials will also be available
online after the tutorial at http://sundresh.org/talks/defun08/js/

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Sameer Sundresh is a final-year Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science at
the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  His research focuses on
the theory and practice of programming languages and distributed
systems.  Sameer is currently investigating language constructs for
expressing the interactions between programs operating at multiple
levels of abstraction, and has previously worked on languages and tools
for wireless sensor networks.  As a complement to his research, Sameer
consults with Pattern Insight, Inc. on software architecture.  Sameer
has held various leadership roles with the University of Illinois ACM
student chapter, including Reflections Projections 2005 conference
chair, and continues to be involved in corporate sponsorship and
recruiting relations.

Erik Hinterbichler is currently a software engineer at Pattern Insight,
Inc. in San Jose, California.  His focus is on human computer
interaction (HCI) and user interface design.  Erik holds an MS in
Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and
a BA in Computer Science and Mathematics from Dartmouth College.  In
college, Erik played as placekicker and punter on the Dartmouth football
team, and in his spare time he enjoys playing the cello.