Superhero.js: articles and videos on building large JavaScript apps | Hacker News Reader

Superhero.js: articles and videos on building large JavaScript apps

superherojs.com

257 pointskjbekkelund44 comments

I'd consider adding some articles from http://rmurphey.com/ ( that's where I started reading about large javascript apps), http://peter.michaux.ca/ (very interesting), and even some of the demo apps from http://rightjs.org/, like https://github.com/MadRabbit/typing-ninja, are pretty good for learning javascript. IMHO.

Are there any specific articles (or videos etc) from Rebecca and Peter you recommend? :)

Great looking site, good font, and an invaluable collection of resources. But the name is confusing - the .js in it suggests it's a javascript library to me?

Also your github link 404s.

Thanks, GitHub link fixed.

Honoured to be one of the superheroes! :)

I've been trying to come up with a javascript module pattern for my rails apps. Right now, I use the Foundations javascript libraries, however those are very generic. I'd like to do something like Foundation does: have separate js files for accordians, sliders, tooltips, etc...I've been looking at the module patterns, however, as a new-comer to js (I'm ruby backend dev), there seems to be so many ways (http://www.adequatelygood.com/2010/3/JavaScript-Module-Patte...), to do the same thing, and I'm at a loss trying to figure out which one to start out with.

Anyone facing this issue? How have you gone about starting out? Thanks.

Also, looking at requirejs as a possibility in helping me to modularize my front end app. I don't want to use emberjs/backbone or any of those frontend frameworks. Nothing against them, but they just don't fit my current projects.

Really cool!

I'm biased, but the WebAPI proposals that come with Firefox OS deserves an entry in the "On the horizon" section.

If you want to hear more about them you should join in on todays IxDA!

wiki.mozilla.org/WebAPI

Great stuff. We're going to check it out as soon as we can :)

Content is very good and I've signed up for the newsletter. Really like the site design. What the proper term for this type of graphic? Is there any repositories of free graphics of this type for non-commercial use?

The terms is probably a bit broad but it's often refered to as pop art, see Roy Lichtenstein [1] Searching for free pop art will turn up decent amount of 'cartoon print' style things.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Lichtenstein

Yeah thanks, from google images it was bringing me down the pop art route, but I would like to source some related set of pictures for a story board kind of idea I have.

http://artsy.net/artist/roy-lichtenstein and I guess this gene on Artsy: http://artsy.net/gene/comic-slash-cartoon

thanks for your links, I also found a seemingly infinite amount on tmblr http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/roy%20lichtenstein

Thanks for the work! At the very least this allows me to consolidate a multitude of bookmarks I struggle to keep organized.

As someone who will probably be visiting this resource a lot, I think it would be helpful if a User could navigate to each section from the initial scene. I feel like scenes one and two can be merged in to a more valuable experience from the start.

I have to admit I chuckled when I saw that one of the authors is @vandelay :)

Seinfeld reference or just the name of the author?

This is an invaluable resource for people interested in client-side apps, thank you very much for packaging all this knowledge in a convenient and easy-to-browse gift bag guys.

Probably the author. https://twitter.com/vandelay

I don't see anything that's specifically for 'Creating, testing and maintaining a large JavaScript code base'. These just look like regular (but very good), oft-cited javascript resources.

Am I missing something or is writing documentation deemed unnecessary for large apps?

Personally, I use YUIDoc which has some serious flaws, but I haven't found anything better yet.

I like this. It seems that the order the items could be changed. Reading through the beginning Javascript, the third link would fit better as the first.

But overall, it's good.

fyi: I can't view this page within my corp network. This Websense category is filtered: Potentially Damaging Content. Sites in this category may pose a security threat to network resources or private information, and are blocked by your organization.

Yeah, we have heard that from several others too :/ I have no idea why it's happening. Anyone who knows how to solve the problem?

From Websense's site: Potentially Damaging Content - sites likely to contain little or no useful content (source: http://www.websense.com/content/urlcategories.aspx)

Could it be because your page is almost entirely a list of links? (not saying that's bad, personally)

You could try contacting Websense: What you can do if you feel a website has been incorrectly categorized. ... You can also suggest that Websense researchers reevaluate a categorization by e-mailing suggest@websense.com.

Haha, "little or no useful content" ;)

I'll send them an email. Thanks!

Got an answer from Websense: "Categorization updates should be reflected in the next scheduled database publication, and will be available shortly to Real-Time Updates subscribers" :)

fyi: now available, good looking site too ;-)

Awesome stuff. Thanks for putting this together.

no mention of the closure compiler. pretty insane in my opinion, tis like static analysis and tree shaking is a bad thing.

Are there any awesome resources on JS minifying/building? We're trying not to link to specific tools, but to great resources that explain the what's and why's.

why not at least at bolin's google io video on building javascript in the large?

Thanks for suggesting! Haven't seen the talk before. We'll take a look at it :)

why was "Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja" book excluded from the listing?. What criteria made the final list?

We haven't read it so we didn't feel we could recommend it. But it's absolutely among the books that might end up on the list. :)

How about throwing on a "Reading Wishlist" on the site then?

I'm half in this book and it's pretty good. On my top 5 now.

Nice! Keep up the good work!

nothing special.

Wow, what an amazing, in-depth contribution to this discussion thread.

I know right..?! C'mon man, from the url it looks like some kind of library...but in actual, its got a bunch of urls...the resources are pretty useful, but whats the point..? You have many places for that.

While javascript has very specific issues and problems, I'd like to see more "generic" programming resources on how to develop fat clients, wether they are desktop or web , how to structure an app , etc ...

You dont learn much if you are only applying solutions that are relevant to javascript.

Since most of devs know javascript , it can be used to express "generic" algorithms , but OOP design patterns not so much. Yet a large application you need those patterns. And these are the same patterns one would use to code Java , C++ , C# , obj-c mobile/desktop clients. But i guess javascript flexibility, and the "DHTML battery included" , DOM & CSS gives one the impression one doesnt need them .

Sounds like you're looking for this: http://addyosmani.com/resources/essentialjsdesignpatterns/bo...

Of course you can use JavaScript to express OOP patterns. You say it yourself that you need those patterns to develop large apps. Anyone who does otherwise either leaves behind a mess of a code base or is being naive. You can have classes right now in JavaScript, it's just a matter of educating developers.

Where I work we have build a framework which is quite powerful for handling large JavaScript codebases. http://www.caplin.com/developer/component/bladerunner

I'm surprised there isn't an equivalent OS one, I think Yeoman is a pale comparison of it.

We are very open to adding high-quality "generic" programming resources. At least on "organizing" and "testing" there are probably some awesome resources our there. Any recommendations?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com