jQuery
These days there're a lot of JavaScript frameworks. One more powerfull then the other and all with pros and cons.
When I found jQuery I wouldn't say 'love at first side', but it has everything I wanted in a framework:
- Common browser support - All most used browsers should be supported, especially the IE serie.
- No browser detect - This can be debatable on situations, but for most it shouldn't detect the browser with its flaw, but it should detect the flaw.
- Lightweight - A framework is an extra, so it should be as small as possible, with only the major functions.
- Plugin support - Because a framework must be as small as possible, it shouldn't contain never used function. So there should be a solution for when one needs a missing function.
- Active development - Bugs must be fixed, small features must be added and help should be given.
- Documentation - I really don't like the documentation on their site, but I really dig the vsdoc support for VS.
- Readable - I always want to know how things work under the hood, so the source should be readable.
Beside the requirements for a framework, jQuery has also something that other frameworks don't: chaining.
Chaning is writting every following function after each other (combined by a dot).
Every new 'chain' is then a new action that needs to be executed.
And that was the final push I needed.
Now that I'm familiar to jQuery, I inmiditately started using plugins and even started writing them.
Here's a list of plugins I've made:
As jQuery made a vsdoc for documentation, I found that I also had to write vsdoc documentation for my plugins.
I hope that you think the same about jQuery and also start using it.