Coming soon: Start Here! Build Windows 8 Apps with HTML5 and JavaScript

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9780735675940_FC3.inddWhen Dino Esposito—a well-known expert author on Windows technology—decided to take on the at-first-unwanted task of writing a book geared toward beginning programmers, Start Here! Build Windows 8 Apps with HTML5 and JavaScript , little did he know that he would end up being a co-author with his 14-year-old (now 15-year-old) son, Francesco, who is now also well on his way to becoming an expert mobile developer and author. Writing the book posed some unique challenges. In earlier times, programmers could get started and become productive by learning a single programming language. So for example, a person could study a book on BASIC and through diligent practice, learn to build high-quality applications. Now, however, most modern environments require developers to learn several things more-or-less simultaneously, making it increasingly difficult not only to get started, but to find comprehensive information about how to get started.

In their new Start Here! book, Dino and Francesco meet these challenges head-on. The book starts by walking readers through the process to get and install a free copy of Visual Studio 2012 and then tackles the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Note: Readers who are completely unfamiliar with these technologies should plan on reading other Start Here! series books first, such as Start Here! Learn HTML5  and Start Here! Learn JavaScript .

Starting from the visible portion of applications, the Windows user interface, their book guides readers through the steps required to acquire graphics and media, work with Windows contracts, handle data, discusses Live Tiles, and how to publish apps to the Windows Store. In fact, Dino and Francesco actually published the example “To-Do List” app for this book to the Windows Store; you can download it yourself for free.

It’s worth noting that Francesco currently has two more approved/certified Windows Store apps that—although not yet published and available—are currently listed as "publishing in progress.” Francesco based these other two apps, which contain biographical information for a couple of tennis champions, on demonstration applications included in the book. If a teenager can do it, you can too!

Dino and Francesco’s book will be available in May.