jQuery is designed to simplify and standardize scripts in browsers. It focuses on low-level materials: creating elements, managing the DOM, managing attributes, making HTTP requests, etc.
jQueryUI is a set of user interface components and functions built on top of jQuery (that is, jQuery requires it to work): buttons, dialog boxes, sliders, tabs, more advanced animations, drag and drop functionality.
jQuery and jQueryUI are both designed to be added to your site (desktop or mobile) - if you want to add a specific function, jQuery or jQueryUI can help.
jQuery Mobile , however, is a complete framework. It is designed for your starting point for a mobile site. It requires jQuery and uses the jQuery and jQueryUI functions to provide both user interface components and API functions for creating sites that support mobile devices. You can still use as much as you want, but jQuery Mobile can manage the entire viewport in a mobile way, if you allow it.
Another important difference is that jQuery and jQueryUI tend to be a layer on top of your HTML and CSS. You should just leave your markup alone and improve it with jQuery. However, jQuery Mobile provides ways to determine where you want components to be displayed using only HTML. (from jQuery Mobile website):
<ul data-role="listview" data-inset="true" data-filter="true"> <li><a href="#">Acura</a></li> <li><a href="#">Audi</a></li> <li><a href="#">BMW</a></li> <li><a href="#">Cadillac</a></li> <li><a href="#">Ferrari</a></li> </ul>
The data-role attribute tells jQuery Mobile to convert this list to a component convenient for mobile devices, and the data-inset and data-filter attributes set its properties - without writing a single line of JavaScript. JQueryUI components, on the other hand, are usually created by writing a few lines of JavaScript to instantiate the component in the DOM.
Stu Cox May 01 '12 at 12:15 a.m. 2012-05-01 00:15
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