js.js

/* 1 - keep js separate */

// these are the same but #2 can be passed around.
function myFunc(a) {
	
}
var myFunc = function(a) {
	
}

// wire up events with observe
var clicker = function(event) {
	var elm = Event.element(event);
	console.log(elm);
	
	Event.stop(event);
};
$('linky').observe('click', clicker);

// or anonymous function if callback doesn't need to be re-used
$('linky').observe('click', function(event) {
	var elm = Event.element(event);
	
	Event.stop(event);
});

/* 2 - Maintain scope */
// use json to group related functions / properties
var Robot = {
	killCount: 0,
	kill: function() {
		alert('Affirmative');
		Robot.killCount++;
	}
}
Robot.kill();
Robot.kill();
alert('Hey Bro-bot I just got ' + Robot.killCount + ' kills. Affirmative.');

// limit scope with the self executing function
(function() {
	
	var clutterTheGlobalSpace = false;
	function doI(clutter) {
		
	}
	
})();

/* Feature/object detect */
// be defensive
var elm = $('example');
if (elm) {
	elm.hide();
}
if (elm) {
	var content = elm.textContent ? elm.textContent : elm.innerText;
}
function jiggle(elm, options) {
	options = options || {};
	var duration = options.duration || 1000;
	alert("I'm gonna jiggle for " + duration + " miliseconds.");
}


// 4 - Use literals to house the code
var Util = {},
Controls = {},
Page = {
	launchNewWindow: function(url,options) {
		
	}
};

// use json for optional parameters
var elm = $('example');
jiggle(elm, {
	duration: 2000,
	size: 10,
	times: 4
});

// 5 - Efficiency
// safe references to prevent lookups
function walkTheDom(elm) {
	elm = $(elm);
	var wrapper = elm.up('.wrapper'),
	content = elm.down('.content'),
	header = elm.down('.header');
}

// the definitive for loop
var numbers = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10];
for (var i=0, ii=numbers.length; i<ii; i++) {
	
}

// create comma separated variables at the top of a block
function dance() {
	var steps = [],
	timer = null,
	partners = [];
}