jQuerify journals status

[foxfirefey]

Bug 3532, the jQuerify journals bug, is moving towards completion. On the next code push, there will be a post to dw_beta for any remaining issues people are having. They'll be fixed and/or filed, depending on urgency, so that we can then turn on the jQuery for everyone, while still giving people a chance to turn the jQuery off. I imagine once all the issues are taken care of, the old journal Javascript will be deprecated and then removed.

For development, this means patches for old journal Javascript will no longer be accepted. If you see a bug open for old journal JS, it can be closed. (Don't do that if it's something that involves doing JS for the new JQuery version, though.)

For those of you new to this concept of jQuery transitioning, basically, we started out with a lot of platform custom written Javascript. But one of our technical debt pay down projects is to move a lot of that functionality to be done by the jQuery library. By converting our Javascript to use jQuery elements, we:

• Reduce the amount of independent code we're writing for our features and standardize techniques
• Make it easier for new coders to get started on our stuff. jQuery is very common and somebody new to the project is going to have a much easier time picking up Javascript based on jQuery than Javascript based on an independent framework nobody else uses. jQuery itself is well documented, making it easier to learn.
• Make it faster for coders to create features. Lots of open source plugins already exist for certain features. And having access to such a complete library means less wheel reinvention.
• Gain advantages from the jQuery team in terms of new features and efficiency gains
• Will be able to standardize and theme our interfaces much more easily in spiffy ways, with the companion jQuery UI

Comments

[mark]

I am super excited.

[denise]

Me too! Everybody who's worked so hard on this project deserves super mega major props.

[baggyeyes]

This is awesome! I love that DW is moving everything into newer tools rather than sticking with status quo. The web is such a fast moving, fast developing place. You are all awesome! I don't know how to say it better.

[bookofjude]

More use of jQuery can only be more awesome.