What is jQuery?

Last modified: February 23, 2020

When you operate a website, you will want it to perform a number of interactive tasks for the user to have a great experience. To do this, you need to add certain programming to the website files. This can be done through the use of HTML, JavaScript, CSS, AJAX and other elements. However, these are often challenging to know and operate if you’re new to website design. That is where jQuery can help.

jQuery is an open source JavaScript library, jQuery was created to provide simple scripting on websites. The main premise is that you’re supposed to write less, but do more. jQuery works with all major browsers and therefore is a great library to work with and create excellent code for completing tasks.

jQuery is important for web design as it allows for a wide range of tasks to be added to a site without the need for bulky code. Therefore, it helps to improve user experiences and reduces bandwidth. Sliders, lightbox popups and rotating elements on a webpage are all examples of how jQuery can be used on a websites.

<?php
wp_enqueue_script('js-functions', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/functions.js', array( 'jquery' ));
?>

The code above goes in the functions.php file.

Using the JavaScript library can help developers perform actions on a webpage right inside the browser, without the need to reload the page. WordPress automatically comes with jQuery and essential jQuery. Theme and plugin developers can call jQuery into their own pieces of software and add to their own scripts.

In order to use jQuery in your WordPress theme or plugin, you will need to add your own scripts and install them in WordPress. You can use the core jQuery core codes and add jQueries from other specific plugins to be dependent upon.

A final example of jQuery is the following that will hide all the links in a post.

jQuery(document).ready(function ($) {

$(".single a").hide();

});

Before you start working with jQuery, it is highly recommended that you have a basic knowledge (at least) of HTML, CSS and JavaScript. However, once you’ve mastered jQuery, you can simplify a lot of complicated processes on a website and have fewer errors on the site through typos or incorrect coding.

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