especially since you’re reading this cookbook and are likely already aware of the merits. So, while I might be preaching to the choir here, we’re going to take a quick look at why a developer might choose to use jQuery. My point in doing this is to foster your basic knowledge of jQuery by first explaining the “why” before we look at the “how.” In building a case for jQuery, I’m not going to compare jQuery to its competitors in order to elevate jQuery’s significance. That’s because I just don’t believe that there really is a direct competitor. Also, I believe the only library available today that meets the needs of both designer types and programmer types is jQuery. In this context, jQuery is in a class of its own.