ExtJS is one of the most popular javascript user interface framework, it offer a bunch of great user interface component, if you are a Java Programmer it better you use the Ext-GWT, but if you are a web programmer who always using web scripting language such as PHP, it may be painless if you learn the new web interface beside the traditional HTML, but i did it and mix it with
Codeigniter in purpose to create and maintain better PHP code, and it’s not really bad and here some advice I have for you :
1. Follow the examples
ExtJS come with a bunch of great sample use of using widget, this provide the basic use of the component, creating plugin, etc. This is the best way to know what you can do with the component and how to implement the component by viewing the source code, if you somehow don’t understand what the code means, simply you can consult the API documentation first. Just
download it first and run on your local server or you can view it
online.
2. Read the ExtJS tutorial
So, you are ready to get your hand wet ? but don’t know what to do to digging depper to understanding ExtJS, I suggest you start with
tutorial from the ExtJS official site. It’s cover about the getting started guide, dom query helper, combobox, form, grids, drag & drop, menus, tree, etc, even the basic of the application design and some of them provide the downloadable example source code. Although the tutorial is useing version 1.x and 2.x, yes it is compatible if you are using version 3.
3. Don’t fear to read the API
The ExtJS API documentation come with the bundle when you’re downloading ExtJS. So how this gonna be useful ? well for me it provide very useful information about the Ext core and default config options, properties, events, method for each component, it’s a good reference when you are trying to manipulating the component. Some component given the basic example of usage. Just
download the ExtJS bundle and you can find it in examples folder or you can view it
online
4. Consult the spesific question to the forum
When I get some trouble I always use Google first, type your spesific question on Google and most of the solution found in the ExtJS official forum and i always found the solution is very handy and easy to understand. Even some of the expert member provide advance source about ExtJS like quick search plugin, grid paging row numberer and custom themes and you can download it for free.
5. Use the good IDE
Since you use ExtJS in javascript language, the you must code all the ExtJS component by hand, and you need the good IDE to help you browse the all avaliable API. I’m personally using
Netbeans PHP IDEfor my project, you can set the project and include the ExtJS style, ExtJS basic and ExtJS all. The IDE will scan all the project including the ExtJS file and when you code the ExtJS component or ExtJS core, you can type
shift + space on your keyboard and the IDE will give an autocomplete feature, and it helping me a lot, maybe not all the method shown in the autocomplete feature but you still can browse on the API documentation. If your not the fan of Netbeans, you can use other great IDE like
Eclipse or
Aptana.
6. You may need to know a bit about Javascript Language
My experience is when i code the event handler of the component, sometimes need like client side validation, like is defined object, sel length etc. When you found this trouble just googling about spesific javascript question and it’is not really hard.
more ExtJS Resource and tutorial
