Go node without code

Command line tools improve development workflow

At Fluent 2013, O’Reilly’s Web Platform, JavaScript and HTML5 conference, Adobe Community Manager Brian Rinaldi showed off ways Node makes possible a new world of utilities, showing JavaScript developers a toolkit they will want to integrate into their workflows.

In his talk, Go Node Without Code, Brian talked about the many ways Node and the npm ecosystem of JavaScript packages can help front-end developers, even if they don’t want to leap to server-side programming.

Tools Brian explored include:

  • UglifyJS, the “JavaScript parser / mangler / compressor / beautifier toolkit” [at 02:00]
  • Less, “for building CSS, but offers a lot of features you don’t get in straight CSS” [at 06:15]
  • Grunt, addressing the “just adding steps to my workflow” problem. [at 9:09]
  • GruntIcon, “A mystical CSS icon solution” [at 18:18]
  • Automaton, a “task automation tool” [at 25:00]
  • HTTPster, a dead-simple “local static development server” [at 30:05]
  • The slightly more configurable Node-static [at 32:00]

You will need to be familiar with the command line for a lot of it – if you’re not, it’s a great time to learn!

If the Web Platform, JavaScript, and HTML5 interest you, consider checking out our growing collection of top-rated talks from Fluent 2013.

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