If you set your mind to it, you could do anything, including programming. Right?
My eighth sample is a cool little web app that lets you prove the point. Using graphical blocks instead of a programming language, you can test yourself writing a simple function.
This sample demonstrates a couple of things I haven’t demonstrated before.
First, the app uses the Blockly tool from Google. I like the tool and found it fun to integrate in my own code. The only negative is that Blockly doesn’t fully re-adjust itself on page resizing, but that is out of my control. Besides that, I think the sample shows my skill in employing third-party code.
Second, jQuery and Bootstrap are used. In my previous samples I custom coded various effects, showing off my Javascript skills. I pursued this path with a plan to create an expanded Quicknr Interface library featuring animations. However, the effort has proven too time-consuming and the advantage not worthwhile. That said, my previous work on Quicknr Interface has given me a solid understanding of the concepts and challenges involved – getting started with jQuery and Bootstrap was a breeze.
As I worked on the sample, I found that many of the things I expected jQuery and Bootstrap to offer are not there in the default API. Beyond jQuery UI I’m in no mood to waste time searching for plugins. Once again, I created custom solutions, but this time powered by jQuery. I believe this is standard, and the best effects one encounters online are done this way.
That’s pretty much it; from now on jQuery will be standard in my work, unless there is a compelling reason not to use it (can’t think of any). Bootstrap also, but only for the sake of standardizing code with the work of others. Bootstrap is mostly a disappointment to be honest.
Stay tuned for my next sample… another cool little app, another cool Javascript library.