In order to achieve the front end developers certificate from FreeCodeCamp.com, one must build a tool to search Wikipedia. Here is mine:
Ian’s Wikipedia Search Tool – Quick Check
This challenge was very challenging for me in the best of ways. It utilized the algorithm practice that I love with complex new libraries. You could say that I’m learning to love jQuery and AJAX.
When adding HTML and CSS into that JavaScript mess, the project was a real challenge for a junior programmer like me.
Process and Design Notes
I focused on simplicity when designing the front end.
FreeCodeCamp.com stipulated in the challenge that we were to design a button which would initiate the search. I broke that rule. My API calls were triggered by a ‘button up’ event, rather than a button. The idea is that the user gets immediate feedback and thus would find the tool more useful.
If you’re interested in the development process, you can see the different version updates on my GitHub project.
Though I built the button into the project initially as per spec, I removed it towards the end. If a search is triggered by the last button typed, there is no need for a search button at all.