2.1 Advanced web

Why this module?
APIs (Application Programming Interface) are written by the creators of web services all over the WWW. Web services like Discord, Facebook, Youtube, Google Maps, Weather Data, Traffic Data, open up their database to web developers to help them create original applications using their data. APIs make this process a lot easier.  
Javascript and the jQuery framework are used to retrieve the data and visualise it in a web application. jQuey is a framework for Javascript. It makes programming in Javascript easier by simplifying certain commands. More importantly the jQuery framework is multibrowser compatible. With one line of jQuery code the framework runs multiple Javascript commands to assure multibrowser compatibility.  
API, the ability to retrieve data from web services and then combine these, is used in many programming environments. You can have the 'Nest' API turn off your 'Google Nest' as soon as a geolocation API for 'Google Maps' or 'IFTT' notices that you are not home. Or you could use a Facebook or Google API to automatically sign you in on a Unity Game. 

What happens in labs and lectures? 
In lectures, last week’s lab assignments will be discussed, as well as the theory behind this week's lab assignments. Useful links and other material will be shared.  
During the lab hours you work on the assignments (or part of them). There is time for questions about the assignments and short examples can given if necessary.  

How does this module relate to other modules in the CMGT study programme? 
This module directly relates to the Web module which took place in the 3rd term of the 1st year CMGT. In that module students learned how to use HTML to make a web application, and CSS to style it. This is called 'separation of concerns' (SoC). But there are three technologies involved in the separation of concerns. The third one is Javascript. Javascript is used to extend and customise the basic functionality of HTML.  
Alongside extending the functionality of HTML and CSS, Javascript is used to produce dynamic web applications. Unlike static web applications, the content of dynamic ones is variable and generated through Javascript. For example: The amount of entries the Youtube API returns when searching for Star Wars is a variable value. Therefore the display of this content needs to be variable too.