JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 6th Edition

Name: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 6th Edition
ISBN: 9787111376613

David FlanaganChina Machine Press2012

4.4

Chapters: 25
Series: O'Reilly Best-Selling Books
ISBN: 9787111376613

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Summary

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is one of the most widely circulated JavaScript reference books in front-end development. Because of its classic O'Reilly cover it is known to readers as the "Rhino Book," and it has long been regarded as the desk reference for understanding the language as a whole. The sixth edition corresponds to the HTML5 and ECMAScript 5 era of the language and browser APIs; compared with earlier editions, many chapters were rewritten, and new material was added on jQuery, server-side JavaScript, graphics programming, and object-oriented JavaScript. The book is divided into four parts. Part I covers the core of the JavaScript language, from lexical structure, types and values, expressions and operators, and statements to objects, arrays, functions, classes and modules, regular expressions, and dialects and subsets, as well as server-side JavaScript. Part II covers client-side JavaScript, including the Window object, scripting documents and CSS, event handling, scripting HTTP, the jQuery library, client-side storage, multimedia and graphics programming, and HTML5 APIs. Parts III and IV are the core JavaScript reference and the client-side JavaScript reference respectively, listing objects, methods, and properties one by one with meaning, syntax, and usage for ready consultation. Its style is a hybrid of reference manual and systematic tutorial: the main text explains language mechanisms and design trade-offs, while the reference sections serve as a dictionary. For beginners it can serve as a roadmap for systematic study; for experienced developers it is a common tool for filling gaps and confirming details. One caveat: the sixth edition was completed relatively early and does not cover language features after ES2015 or recent changes in browser APIs, so it should be used alongside more recent materials.

Editor's review

如果只能带一本 JS 书进项目组，“犀牛书”大概率是被点名最多的那本。它的价值不在“教你三天上手”，而在于把语言本身和浏览器 API 放在同一张地图上讲清楚：语言核心部分解释作用域、闭包、原型、类与模块这些容易含糊的概念；客户端部分则从 Window 对象讲到事件、HTTP、存储、图形与 HTML5 API，形成可查可学的完整体系。第六版由淘宝前端团队翻译，术语处理比较稳妥，代码示例保留原书风格，读起来不像机翻那样隔膜。新增的 jQuery、服务器端 JavaScript 与图形编程章节，恰好对应当年前端工程化的几个方向，对理解那一代技术栈很有帮助。要提醒的是：本版基于 ECMAScript 5 与 HTML5 早期规范，没有 ES6 之后的 let/const、箭头函数、Promise、模块化等内容。把它当作“语言与浏览器 API 的地基和索引”，再配一本覆盖新标准的书或官方文档，效率最高。它更像一本可以翻十年的词典，而不是一次读完的小说。

Who it's for

A good fit for

已有一定 JS 使用经验、想系统补齐语言基础的前端开发者
需要随时查阅语言与浏览器 API 细节的在职工程师
计算机专业学生，作为 Web 开发课程的配套参考书
从其他语言转向前端、希望建立完整知识地图的程序员

Not a good fit for

完全零基础、想靠一本书快速做出网页的入门读者
只关心最新 ES6+ 语法与框架生态、不打算查旧 API 的读者
希望阅读轻松故事化教程、不习惯手册体裁的人

Reading tips

先通读第一部分语言核心，再按项目需要跳读第二部分客户端章节，不必从头到尾硬啃。
把第三、四部分当字典：遇到不确定的方法签名或属性含义时按字母查阅，比通读更实用。
结合浏览器控制台边读边敲示例代码，尤其把原型、闭包、事件模型几处亲手验证一遍。
阅读时同步对照较新的 ECMAScript 标准资料，标注本版未覆盖的语法点。

About the publisher

China Machine Press China · Founded in 1950

In addition to science and technology and professional publishing, the books in our catalog from China Machine Press also reflect a sustained focus on psychology, computing, management, finance and economics, and social sciences. In psychology, the catalog includes works by C. G. Jung and introductions to analytical psychology, as well as applied topics such as stress and health, and addiction and healing. In computing, it features Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (JavaScript Edition). Management and finance titles include Administrative Behavior (4th Edition), The Price of Inequality (Collector's Edition), and This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly (Commemorative Edition). In the philosophy and history of science, there is The Worldview: The Third Edition. Relevant authors include C. G. Jung, William McGuire, Sonu Shamdasani, and Gabor Maté. Public information is limited; the above summarizes the publisher's profile based solely on the books in our catalog.

Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction to JavaScript
Chapter 2 Lexical Structure
Chapter 3 Types, Values, and Variables
Chapter 4 Expressions and Operators
Chapter 5 Statements
Chapter 6 Objects
Chapter 7 Arrays
Chapter 8 Functions
Chapter 9 Classes and Modules
Chapter 10 Pattern Matching with Regular Expressions
Chapter 11 JavaScript Subsets and Extensions
Chapter 12 Server-Side JavaScript
Chapter 13 JavaScript in Web Browsers
Chapter 14 The Window Object
Chapter 15 Scripting Documents
Chapter 16 Scripting CSS
Chapter 17 Event Handling
Chapter 18 Scripting HTTP
Chapter 19 The jQuery Library
Chapter 20 Client-Side Storage
Chapter 21 Multimedia and Graphics Programming
Chapter 22 HTML5 APIs
Part III Core JavaScript Reference
Part IV Client-Side JavaScript Reference

FAQ

这本书适合零基础学 JavaScript 吗？

不太适合作为第一本书。它更像系统教程加参考手册，节奏紧凑、信息密度高，零基础读者容易在语言核心部分卡住。建议先用一本入门教程掌握基本语法与 DOM 操作，再回来用它建立体系、查漏补缺。

第6版和最新的第7版有什么区别？

第6版基于 ECMAScript 5 与 HTML5 早期规范，新增了 jQuery、服务器端 JavaScript、图形编程等章节；第7版对应更新后的语言标准，补充了 ES2015 之后的语法与新的浏览器 API。若以现代前端开发为主，第7版更贴合当下；第6版仍适合打语言基础。

为什么大家叫它“犀牛书”？

因为它是 O'Reilly 出版社“动物书”系列的一员，封面印有一幅犀牛版画。同系列的《JavaScript高级程序设计》因红色封面被叫作“红宝书”，两本常被并列推荐，但定位不同：一本偏参考手册，一本偏循序渐进的教学。

书里的例子还能直接运行吗？

语言核心部分的示例大多仍可在现代浏览器控制台运行；客户端部分的 DOM、事件、XHR 等代码也基本可用，但涉及旧式浏览器兼容写法和部分 API 时可能已经过时。建议以现代浏览器为准调试，遇到差异查 MDN 文档确认。

翻译质量怎么样？

本版由淘宝前端团队翻译，技术术语基本准确，代码保持原书格式，整体可读性较好。个别长句偏直译，遇到概念不清时对照英文原书相应章节或 MDN 说明即可。

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