Rating: 

Like its predecessor, this book contains the excellent introduction to the core JavaScript library, which hasn’t changed much from previous editions (at least to my eye). The client-side JavaScript section is where I noticed the most changes. This updated section contains a great refresher of CSS, identifies “quirks mode” in IE and other browsers, and gives some excellent examples of modifying CSS via JavaScript. The next section that appears new to me is the Scripting HTTP section, which is an excellent introduction to the world of AJAX. In this section, the author describes how to perform both synchronous and asynchronous requests via JavaScript, how to handle the results, and differences between different browsers. I also came across several (new to me) sections on manipulating graphics with JavaScript. In these sections, the author discusses creating graphics with CSS, SVG, and VML. Again, the examples are clear and easy to follow.

Again, like the previous editions, the book also contains a Core JavaScript Reference as well as a Client Side JavaScript Reference. These sections identify each method or property of each object, provide a description, and illustrate usage with a brief example. These sections have all been updated in this version to show what JavaScript/ECMAScript version the method or property first appeared, or whether it is a feature supported only by a subset of browsers. This is an invaluable reference when creating cross-browser JavaScript.

All in all, I was very pleased with the updates to this edition. I think especially if you are looking for a good AJAX reference, the updates to this book make it well worth your time.