Overview
jQuery is a fast, lightweight JavaScript library designed to simplify HTML DOM tree traversal and manipulation, event handling, and animation. It was one of the most widely used JavaScript libraries due to its simplicity and ability to work across all major browsers. While modern JavaScript frameworks have taken over a lot of what jQuery was used for, it is still commonly used in older projects and for quick manipulation of the DOM, event handling, or adding simple effects to web pages.
Key Features:
- DOM Manipulation: Simplifies complex DOM manipulations with an easy-to-use API.
- Cross-Browser Compatibility: Ensures that scripts work consistently across all major browsers.
- Event Handling: Simplifies handling events such as clicks, mouseover, and key presses.
- AJAX Support: Makes it easy to perform asynchronous HTTP requests.
- Animations: Includes simple effects like fading, sliding, and hiding/showing elements.
Use Cases:
- Quick DOM manipulation and event handling
- Adding simple animations and interactivity
- Legacy projects and older websites