70-480 - Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3

I took the beta exam for the 7-480 (Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3) last week and wanted to give my thoughts on it. I won't go into any details due to the NDA but I will say it was smaller than other betas I have taken part in. I don't think I passed. But that was not due to any difficulty of the exam itself. It was more due to lack of time for me to prepare. Although web development is a component of my job duties my company does not have any intentions of even considering moving into HTML5 until the middle of next year. For this reason I had not given it much attention until I received the beta exam announcement - and with just 3 days to prepare for the end of the exam period.
I crammed the best I could during those 3 days. but it just wasn't enough time to cover all the topic. IMO, if you already know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (including some jQuery) and you have two weeks to prep for the exam, you will find the test easy. The questions were not "tricky" and were very representatuve of the objectives.
Here is a collection of tutorials and other information arranged by the published exam objectives. In compiling this if I placed more than one link for a resource there was usually a motive. Either I thought the concept was difficult or important on the exam or I thought it was very practical and therefore needed to be mastered.
General Reference
MSDN HTML5 Reference
Pluralsight (paid developer training - excellent resourcce)
Implement and Manipulate Document Structures and Objects (24%)
HTML5 Semantic Tag Reference (w3 Schools)
Using HTML5's New Semantic Tags Today
Better Web Forms with HTML5 Forms
Introducing the HTML5 storage APIs
How to Use HTML5's Local Storage Tools Today
AppCache API
A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO USING THE APPLICATION CACHE
Offline Web Applications
Go offline with application cache
Running your web applications offline with HTML5 AppCache
Geolocation
Geolocation API Specification
12 Cool HTML5 Geolocation Ideas
Finding your position with Geolocation
"this" in JavaScript
Javascript - The this keyword
Understanding the "this" keyword in JavaScript
Get a serious book on JavaScript like JavaScript: The Good Parts
Creating custom objects in JavaScript
JavaScript Create Your Own Objects
Implement Program Flow (25%)
JavaScript Switch Statement
JavaScript If...Else Statements
JavaScript For Loop
JavaScript Try...Catch Statement
JavaScript Throw Statement
Scope in JavaScript
Understanding callback functions in Javascript
Getting comfortable with Javascript callbacks
THE BASICS OF WEB WORKERS
Introducing HTML5 Web Workers
HTML5 Web Workers
WebSockets - Just plow through this site and learn as much as possible.
WebSocket.org -- A WebSocket Community
I crammed the best I could during those 3 days. but it just wasn't enough time to cover all the topic. IMO, if you already know HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (including some jQuery) and you have two weeks to prep for the exam, you will find the test easy. The questions were not "tricky" and were very representatuve of the objectives.
Here is a collection of tutorials and other information arranged by the published exam objectives. In compiling this if I placed more than one link for a resource there was usually a motive. Either I thought the concept was difficult or important on the exam or I thought it was very practical and therefore needed to be mastered.
General Reference


Implement and Manipulate Document Structures and Objects (24%)





AppCache API




Geolocation



"this" in JavaScript
Javascript - The this keyword
Understanding the "this" keyword in JavaScript



Implement Program Flow (25%)












WebSocket.org -- A WebSocket Community
Comments
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Here are the final two objectives.
Access and Secure Data (26%)
JSON - Consuming a Service
Using jQuery to Consume ASP.NET JSON Web Services
JSON Transmit Data
Use CSS3 in Applications (25%)
CSS Selectors
jQuery Selectors
I got a link to this today, in one of the many (MANY) Microsoft emails I get on a weekly basis: Free ebook: Programming Windows 8 Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (First Preview) - Microsoft Press - Site Home - MSDN Blogs
Hopefully, it'll be a bit of help to add to the impressive arsenal of knowledge and tutorials you've already shared.
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Let it never be said that I didn't do the very least I could do.
As far as I could tell, it was spec HTML5 and MS has committed to IE10 working to the spec and not to an IE specific version of the spec. But you should keep in mind this exam is for people developing Windows Metro apps. So other than this MCTS level cert, I'm not sure where you might go after...
Thanks for that! I'm not allowed to give you more rep right now, though...
"TRY NOT. DO. OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY" - Yoda
"TRY NOT. DO. OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY" - Yoda
MCSD: Web Applications
MCSD: Windows Metro style Apps using HTML5
"TRY NOT. DO. OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY" - Yoda
Thanks,
Chris
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Let it never be said that I didn't do the very least I could do.
Also, I found Pluralsight thanks to you and thought I'd share some info with some people. I found out that Dreamspark has a partnership with Pluralsight and if you have a Dreamspark account, you can get a 90 day subscription to Pluralsight for free.
I would also like to add that one of my professors gave me a link to a free voucher (promo code) for the 70-480 test for anyone thats interested I will post the links below:
(Free Microsoft Virtual Academy Course)
https://www.microsoftvirtualacademy.com/tracks/developing-html5-apps-jump-start
(Microsoft Exam Webpage)
Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3
Click Schedule, find a test center, pick an appointment, then when you go to pay, click the Voucher/Promo Code button and then use promo code = HTMLJMP
Remember that its a promo code and not voucher (the Microsoft Vitrual Academy incorrectly says its a voucher code).
Hope this helps, good luck everyone!
Microsoft exams are definitely a step up from the multiple choice exams in challenge that I've taken from other providers.
The exam is definitely very straightforward if you're a seasoned web developer and you know HTML/CSS3/javascript but beware you definitely do need to know jQuery as jQuery syntax does pop up in the questions.
The other thing is don't rely soley on what's in the video course as there were some nuggets of content not specifically covered in the video course that Microsoft provide that came up like the HTML5 API's section.
Long and short
- If you're a beginning web dev (eg this is the first time you've seen javascript etc) you'll struggle to pass without first hand experience on projects unless you're good at studying
- If you're a seasoned web dev who does it for a job and includes jQuery a few hours reading and you should pass it with ease
-mrploddy
You may learn something!
Are there questions on the exam about the html/js/css specs that are not supported by microsoft?
for example w3schools teach about border image, which is supported by al the big browsers except microsoft...
so what i'm basicly asking is, is al the needed information found on the msdn link as you provided?
Greatings,
Rolf de Vries
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Forum Admin at www.techexams.net
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Let it never be said that I didn't do the very least I could do.
"TRY NOT. DO. OR DO NOT. THERE IS NO TRY" - Yoda
Already watched the 481 jumpstart content so need a bit of practical application for it to stick in my head.
I am a fresher in the software field and know basics of HTML, CSS. I am learning basics of javascript and jquery in order to crack this exam on dec 5th.. any more concepts which I need to learn? Also, is there any specific exam syllabus listed on their official website? (As I could not find it there..) Thanks a ton!
Take a look at the "skills measured" tab of this web page:
Programming in HTML5 with JavaScript and CSS3
I'm in the process of re-writing my study guide after having taken the exam a second time. It can be found here:
http://www.techexams.net/forums/microsoft-developers-certifications/79076-70-480-programming-html5-javascript-css3.html
I am not certain that I will get that completed before you sit the exam, though. My major suggestion is that you use JSFiddle.net while you are going through the videos on the Channel9 site as well as any of the links in my guide to make sure you understand the concepts completely. You should really know the prototype pattern in JavaScript as well as how to do common things in both jQuery and in pure JavaScript. Since this exam is focused on both the web platform AND on Windows Store apps it does have questions on both sides.
Most of the questions were exceptionally easy. But some of them were genuinely difficult. Not "tricky" but I sometimes thought "And this is why I go to the API reference site. Who knows every option of [insert jQuery method here]?" But I guess that's why I didn't pass with a perfect score.
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Let it never be said that I didn't do the very least I could do.