Getting started with jQuery - 7 of the most useful resources

In recent times, a lot of general purpose javascript libraries have surfaced, making common javascript tasks a quick and easy to implement. To name a few, there is Script.aculo.us, Dojo and of course, Prototype. But, one of the most recent, and possibly the most powerful and flexible is jQuery.

JQuery makes heavy use of CSS selectors to identify elements within an HTML document. It is cross browser compatible, and can be used for altering page elements, creating new page elements, animation, event handling, ajax and more. It has a plugin architecture, allowing you to extend it's functionality and the jQuery plugin repository has hundreds of plugins ready to use.

Getting started

There are already some very good jQuery resources on the web, so rather than create my own, I have decided to simply list 7 of the best. I think all of these are a must read for anybody starting out in the world of jQuery.

Getting Started with jQuery
From the official jQuery website.

jQuery Introduction
An excellent general introduction complete with several live examples.

jQuery Crash Course
For experienced web developers, this crash course will introduce you to jQuery through a detailed real world example.

jQuery Basics
A selection of common howto articles.

50+ Amazing jQuery Examples
If you are looking to do something specific, chances are it's covered here.

jQuery 1.2 Cheat Sheet
An ultra-handy cheat sheet. Bookmark this page!

jQuery for JavaScript programmers
A look at jQuery for the more experienced Javascript programmer.