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Learning Dart
Learn how to program applications with Dart 1.0, a language specifically designed to produce betterstructured, highperformance applications If you want to become a web developer, or perhaps you already are a web developer but you want to add Dart to your tool belt, then this book is for you. This book assumes that you have at least some knowledge of HTML and how web applications work. Some previous programming experience, preferably in a modern language like C#, Java, Python, Ruby, or JavaScript, will also give you a head start. You can also work with Dart on your preferred platform, be it Linux, Mac OS X, or Windows. Dart is a new open source programming language for the Web. Developed by Google, Dart is gaining popularity and has a steadily growing community. It is a single language for both client and server that can be used with a wide range of devices, including phones, tablets, laptops, and servers. It encompasses the lessons that have been learned over the last two decades of web programming. Stop solving new challenges with the same old tools - let Dart show you a whole new way. "Learning Dart" provides you with a thorough overview of this new open source programming language. It will guide you step-by-step through building games and business applications for the Web, taking advantage of the power behind a modern language combined with HTML5. "Learning Dart" starts by exploring the Dart ecosystem. This is followed by two chapters that will show you everything you need to know about Dart's syntax and development principles. Throughout the rest of the book, you will apply this knowledge to advanced topics with the help of an example-based approach. You will explore how to build web games using HTML5, how to integrate audio and video into your applications, and how to process and show data in HTML5 forms with Dart. The book also shows you how web components fit together with HTML5 and how to apply them in business web applications. You also learn how to store data on the client, how to communicate data between client and server with JSON, and how to store JSON data with MongoDB. "Learning Dart" provides you with everything you need to know to start or enhance your career in web development.
388 pages, Paperback
First published December 27, 2013
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8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 20, 2014
To begin with, I wish to emphasize that I am writing this review without having fully read the book, I've only checked for a few hours.
This book is about Dart, a programming language created by Google in order to facilitate the creation of web applications.
The first 3 chapters are about the language syntax. If you already know how to program, it will be very easy to read, especially if you know Java and JavaScript, as the syntax has seemed like a mix between these two languages.
In Chapter 4 the fun begins, you'll see the importance of creating a consistent data model as the first step in creating an application.
Chapters 5 and 6 discuss issues related to HTML5: DOM handling, forms, events ... frontend development.
Under the pretext of create an HTML5 game, in Chapter 7 you'll put into practice what you've seen so far.
Chapter 9 deepen even further in creating a data model. I was surprised that the book devotes two chapters to this subject, but I will say that the examples included are high quality.
You'll know the active community that is forming around Dart through chapters 8 and 10, which talks about, among other frameworks or libraries: Polymer.dart, DQuery, Rikulo, PureMVC and Angular.dart.
To complete the book, the last chapters are related to the client-server communication and data storage. Again I must emphasize the complete and useful examples included.
My opinion on this book is very positive, I was surprised by the amount of information that includes about a relatively new language.
Although you can find a lot of information about Dart on the official website or alternative blogs, you won't find complete and extensive articles as examples in this book.
If you are interested in learning Dart quickly and reliably, I'd say you can not miss this book.
This book is about Dart, a programming language created by Google in order to facilitate the creation of web applications.
The first 3 chapters are about the language syntax. If you already know how to program, it will be very easy to read, especially if you know Java and JavaScript, as the syntax has seemed like a mix between these two languages.
In Chapter 4 the fun begins, you'll see the importance of creating a consistent data model as the first step in creating an application.
Chapters 5 and 6 discuss issues related to HTML5: DOM handling, forms, events ... frontend development.
Under the pretext of create an HTML5 game, in Chapter 7 you'll put into practice what you've seen so far.
Chapter 9 deepen even further in creating a data model. I was surprised that the book devotes two chapters to this subject, but I will say that the examples included are high quality.
You'll know the active community that is forming around Dart through chapters 8 and 10, which talks about, among other frameworks or libraries: Polymer.dart, DQuery, Rikulo, PureMVC and Angular.dart.
To complete the book, the last chapters are related to the client-server communication and data storage. Again I must emphasize the complete and useful examples included.
My opinion on this book is very positive, I was surprised by the amount of information that includes about a relatively new language.
Although you can find a lot of information about Dart on the official website or alternative blogs, you won't find complete and extensive articles as examples in this book.
If you are interested in learning Dart quickly and reliably, I'd say you can not miss this book.
December 16, 2017
I really enjoyed this book's approach, learning a new programming language can be a dry task. Dzenan made it really easy to get started with Dart, one project at a time.
After introducing the main concepts and advantages of Dart in a didactic fashion, the book switches to a Spiral approach where you develop a series of apps step by step with the author, learning new concepts on the way.
I think it speaks for the book but also for Dart as a language that the book quickly dives into more advanced applications, like writing an HTML5 Game in Dart in Chapter 7.
The book will also be a valuable read for the future because he even touchen on Polymer and how to write web components using Dart.
My only critique would be that testing is only covered briefly, unlike JavaScript Dart comes with a test framework built in, which is only covered in a very basic manor. But it would probably be a good exercise to rewrite the code examples with a test first approach ;)
After introducing the main concepts and advantages of Dart in a didactic fashion, the book switches to a Spiral approach where you develop a series of apps step by step with the author, learning new concepts on the way.
I think it speaks for the book but also for Dart as a language that the book quickly dives into more advanced applications, like writing an HTML5 Game in Dart in Chapter 7.
The book will also be a valuable read for the future because he even touchen on Polymer and how to write web components using Dart.
My only critique would be that testing is only covered briefly, unlike JavaScript Dart comes with a test framework built in, which is only covered in a very basic manor. But it would probably be a good exercise to rewrite the code examples with a test first approach ;)
June 10, 2019
With the release of Dart 1.0 in November 2013 we received a powerful tool for crafting robust, modern and scalable web apps. The knowledge base available for anyone wanting to get to know this Google developed language is growing, so I guess that soon we will be looking at “must-read Dart books” lists and this one has every chance of making it into each developer's canon.
Who is this book for? Well, it could be a bit too much for total novices in the programming world, but otherwise I think it's really well-suited both for seasoned developers eager to try Dart, or “post-beginners” familiar with basic programming concepts and (at least having heard about) some of the latest web technologies. As authors state, because of its dual focus the book “can appeal to both web developers who want to learn a modern way of developing web applications, and to developers who seek guidance on how to use HTML5.”
The core of the book are some useful Dart projects that the audience should code along, or better – code around, as authors decided to use the so-called spiral approach for explaining the vital concepts of web development with Dart. This means that on the beginning the simple solution to a given problem is presented, but later on it is being further developed (either on the basis of existing work or from scratch but making use of the just introduced concepts) in a few iterations called spirals. I am a big fan of this approach and think it is one of the best for teaching complex matters like programming – it both gives confidence about one's abilities and allows to make use of existing knowledge, while gradually expanding the student's set of skills.
Learning Dart is a very comprehensive volume that covers an impressive range of Dart web development related concepts: from basics like built-in types and their methods or using classes and objects to combining Dart with HTML5 forms, developing business apps with Polymer web components, client-server communication or data-driven web apps with MongoDB and MySQL, to name just a few. Just take a look at the table of contents! It can literally take you from zero to hero in no time.
tl;dr if you're looking at this review chances are you're in need of a good book that can get you up to speed with Dart programming language, look no further! This one will do it for you whether you're a ninja-rockstar-knight-commander or what have you of whatever programming language you're into or just a simple peasant trying to not feel overwhelmed by the amount of skills you have to acquire to pretend to not be a peasant anymore. And if you're somewhere in the middle, I am pretty sure Learning Dart it will do it for you too.
Who is this book for? Well, it could be a bit too much for total novices in the programming world, but otherwise I think it's really well-suited both for seasoned developers eager to try Dart, or “post-beginners” familiar with basic programming concepts and (at least having heard about) some of the latest web technologies. As authors state, because of its dual focus the book “can appeal to both web developers who want to learn a modern way of developing web applications, and to developers who seek guidance on how to use HTML5.”
The core of the book are some useful Dart projects that the audience should code along, or better – code around, as authors decided to use the so-called spiral approach for explaining the vital concepts of web development with Dart. This means that on the beginning the simple solution to a given problem is presented, but later on it is being further developed (either on the basis of existing work or from scratch but making use of the just introduced concepts) in a few iterations called spirals. I am a big fan of this approach and think it is one of the best for teaching complex matters like programming – it both gives confidence about one's abilities and allows to make use of existing knowledge, while gradually expanding the student's set of skills.
Learning Dart is a very comprehensive volume that covers an impressive range of Dart web development related concepts: from basics like built-in types and their methods or using classes and objects to combining Dart with HTML5 forms, developing business apps with Polymer web components, client-server communication or data-driven web apps with MongoDB and MySQL, to name just a few. Just take a look at the table of contents! It can literally take you from zero to hero in no time.
tl;dr if you're looking at this review chances are you're in need of a good book that can get you up to speed with Dart programming language, look no further! This one will do it for you whether you're a ninja-rockstar-knight-commander or what have you of whatever programming language you're into or just a simple peasant trying to not feel overwhelmed by the amount of skills you have to acquire to pretend to not be a peasant anymore. And if you're somewhere in the middle, I am pretty sure Learning Dart it will do it for you too.
June 16, 2014
Finally, a Dart guide for experienced Web developers.
Being Dart a "better language" for the Web, a prerequisite for this book is the knowledge of the latest (and future) Web technologies, such as Futures, HTML5, Web Components, etc. If you know at least some of the former, you won't have any trouble seeing why Dart is the right language for future, well-structured, Web applications.
The book covers pretty much everything you need to know: Web components (much appreciated, many books and guides leave this part aside), common software engineering patterns, local storage, plugins, ...
There were a few chapters I read without much interest, mostly the game-oriented one; but I see there are many developers that are into game development, so that's fair.
I would have really loved some insight on server-side use of Dart and something more on AngularDart, but those are probably good ideas for future books (tip!).
If you need a book to start coding in Dart and see results right away, this one's definitely for you.
Being Dart a "better language" for the Web, a prerequisite for this book is the knowledge of the latest (and future) Web technologies, such as Futures, HTML5, Web Components, etc. If you know at least some of the former, you won't have any trouble seeing why Dart is the right language for future, well-structured, Web applications.
The book covers pretty much everything you need to know: Web components (much appreciated, many books and guides leave this part aside), common software engineering patterns, local storage, plugins, ...
There were a few chapters I read without much interest, mostly the game-oriented one; but I see there are many developers that are into game development, so that's fair.
I would have really loved some insight on server-side use of Dart and something more on AngularDart, but those are probably good ideas for future books (tip!).
If you need a book to start coding in Dart and see results right away, this one's definitely for you.
May 10, 2015
Good Introduction to Dart.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews