Extending jQuery

Abstract

This chapter will give you the knowledge required to write plug-ins for jQuery. One of the really powerful features of jQuery is that you can add extra functionality easily using its plug-in framework. If you have some code that you are using frequently in your jQuery solutions, then it may be time to look at turning it into a plug-in and expose some options to allow it to suit a variety of scenarios. You are probably familiar with the Don’t Repeat Yourself (DRY) coding practice, and plug-ins can help by making sure that repeatable code is put into a plug-in where it makes sense. The other thing to consider is that plugins can be used to do a huge range of really useful things. In fact, plug-ins can be used to do anything that jQuery can do, such as visual effects, utilities, DOM manipulation, and a whole lot more.