Some hints to improve writing of JavaScript code [closed]

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The basic idea for writing good code is that the code must be readable, well-commented and documented.

Other basic facts for writing good code regarding all the program languages are structuring the code in directories and files and indentation of course.

In the case of javascript the things could be more complicated, because the language allows you to use different style to accomplish similar task.

For example there are three different ways to define a JavaScript class.

Said that, which are the best resource (books/sites) or suggestion for writing good code (library) in javascript?

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I'd highly recommend reading JavaScript: The Good Parts by Douglas Crockford to get you started on writing quality JavaScript code.

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If you're working for a company, is there a standards manual, or something jotted up saying "this is how we want things to be coded"? Yes, it's kinda Dictatorial, but it helps keep things "neat". ---Now, if you do not have one at your company, be proactive, talk to a few higher ups if they think it'd be useful, tactfully get them to delegate it to yourself and then make it. Get some brownie points and a good thing for your resume ---

There's ton's of books on the subject, blogs, pod casts, and probably a radio station somewhere.... that all talk about this subject.

But the #1 thing you will get from people is: Do not put many operations on the same line!

How many times do you look at a script and see a kerfuffle of statements/commands/initiators/setters/getters on one line. Or 4 nested ternary statements.

Sure, it "looks" cool if you're 15, but it is counter productive, not intuitive and not helpful. (yes this is a sour point). Code/Script is supposed to be maintainable. The biggest cost to some companies is maintenance on a product. When you go back to something years/months/days/hours after something is written, you want to be able to understand it without having to tape your eye lids open.

Here's a couple good articles I've read about this. They're not the most up-to-date but the information in them is still strong.

http://amix.dk/blog/post/19496

http://www.codinghorror.com/blog/2008/08/secrets-of-the-javascript-ninjas.html (yes from SO's very own Jeff)

http://www.bobbyvandersluis.com/articles/javascript_good_practices/index.html

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Javascript - The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan (O'Reilly)

Pro Javascript Techniques by John Resig (APress)

http://jquery.com/

http://www.crockford.com/

http://developer.yahoo.com/yui/

This list will probably get fairly long, but don't forget you can study most of the code that is out there & you will soon learn what is good and bad - that's one big, great resource.

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At the first place i would suggest you to get more familiar with JS object model I would suggest you to take Douglas Crockford's article on prototypal inheritance:

http://javascript.crockford.com/prototypal.html and make comparison with classical inheritance model http://javascript.crockford.com/inheritance.html

More systematic approach of pros and cons of JavaScript can be found in his book JavaScript: The Good Parts http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Good-Parts-Douglas-Crockford/dp/0596517742

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If you search for more broader architectural approach JQuery, ExtJs (a.k.a. Sencha), MooTools are great java script libraries/frameworks to start looking at their design principles.

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I would start with JSLint

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I would recommend coffee script as a good tool to help write good javascript. It is very readable, and includes some very clever improvements to vanilla javascript, including a very well thought out class declaration system (not trivial in javascript, which is prototype based rather than class based in it's language definition).

For comments, I would recommend JSDoc, which is a javascript version of JavaDoc. I find it to be very easy to maintain comments in the code, and the output is in a standard format that many editors/tools are able to utalise - so not only for people to read. Google have also provided a good set of guidelines of how best to write comments using JSDoc in a standardised manner.