The HTML5 Canvas
The Canvas was one of the big changes to hit Javascript and HTML5 by the turn of the decade in 2010. It allows for 2D graphics to be built up with Javascript commands inside a box declared with a >canvas< element. This is similar in general approach to the Tk canvas.
A Canvas may be declared directly, or from within one of the very many Javascript frameworks.
Canvas Pocket Reference
Canvas Pocket Reference: Scripted Graphics for HTML5,
by David Flanagan, is an excellent resource. It covers the essentials of using the canvas to draw lines, shapes, insert and control text and images.
All this it does well, with short examples and good descriptions of the options available, and what they do. Well sized and constructed graphics demonstrate the examples well.
In Sum
Rating: 8/10. Audience: Experienced Javascript Developers.
It's fantastic as a starter for experienced Javascript developers who want a consise resource on the HTML5 canvas to start with, and consult quickly. Its limitations are that it excludes concepts and methods used with the HTML5 canvas in many real-world tasks. It's good for what it is though. You may need other books to go further, but you'll still be using this one as a reference.
| Peter Caffin is a software developer and systems administrator from Perth, Western Australia. Product links point to Localhost, where Peter Caffin is an affiliate. |
(Reviewed: September 2015.)