Did you know that for nine years JavaScript has been the most used language by the respondents of the StackOverflow Annual Survey?
Did you know that JavaScript is at the roots of famous frameworks and libraries like React, Vue, jQuery, Anime, or Redux?
More importantly, did you know that JavaScript isn’t that hard to learn? If I were to learn a new coding language, the above data would lead me to a common solution: JavaScript.
On top of that, the community of JavaScript enthusiasts is friendly, active, and helpful.
There are plenty of JavaScript tutorials and sources available to help you learn.
Without any further ado, here is all you need to start learning JavaScript. All you need is patience, hours of practice, and many cups of tea or coffee.
Tips to Learn JavaScript
How you learn is just as important as what you learn! You can quickly learn JavaScript and other languages if you know how to learn.
Along with a good understanding of the way you learn, the following tips might help you grasp JavaScript quickly and simply.
– It takes longer than you expect. Many tutorials and course creators market their products as the best resource to learn JavaScript in a week, 20 days, a month, etc.
Well, the reality is that these periods are way too optimistic! As someone who is a proficient JavaScript user, I believe that it takes three or four times longer than expected.
Don’t be disappointed that you can’t learn JavaScript as fast as some devs boast on Twitter. Bear in mind that everyone has their own path to JavaScript mastery.
– Practice is 10x more effective than watching a video. Don’t get me wrong, learning the theory is crucial. Yet, it’s also crucial to escape tutorial hell. Try to avoid spending hours in front of a video explaining JavaScript basics.
It’s more demanding and fatiguing, but writing lines of code in a text editor is much more effective. Learn and practice, learn and practice—that’s the best approach.
– Don’t be afraid to take breaks. Coding, including JavaScript, is a marathon, not a sprint. Learning and practicing is a huge endeavor, and you need breaks to replenish your energy levels.
– Vanilla before frameworks and libraries. Thanks to so many frameworks and libraries based on JavaScript, devs use the term Vanilla to describe pure JavaScript.
Tools to Learn JavaScript
You don’t need many tools to learn JavaScript. You can use a smartphone or tablet to learn and practice, but it’s way more effective to use a laptop or a desktop.
Next, your office must be adequate for a solid mental endeavor. Find a quiet spot in your home and eventually listen to your favorite music.
In the early stages, you will watch videos and read books or e-books, depending on your preferences. You may need to purchase a premium subscription to some classes and buy the suggested references (digital or physical).
You need a code editor to write JavaScript snippets. Some classes come with built-in editors, but it’s good to have a code editor installed on your machine. Visual Studio Code is our recommendation, but you have many other good alternatives, like Notepad++ and Sublime Text.
These tools are enough for most people who want to learn JavaScript. Please leave a comment if you feel that I missed an important item.
IMPORTANT: If I were a person who has no coding skills, I wouldn’t start with JavaScript. It’s more effective in the long term to learn HTML and CSS beforehand. This way, you will have the fundamentals of building a decent website.
Leave a comment if you want to see another article featuring resources to learn HTML and CSS. It may only take two-three weeks to develop decent HTML and CSS skills. You have to be a real master of them to get a job as a front-end developer.
Resources to Learn JavaScript
Paradoxically, one of the problems in finding the proper resource to learn JavaScript is the multitude of alternatives. You have so many cool places to learn JavaScript that it may be hard to make a decision. After thorough research, here are the best resources to learn JavaScript.
Courses
JavaScript Tutorial by W3Schools
JavaScript Tutorial by W3Schools – W3Schools is one of the oldest resources for learning how to code. Check out the JavaScript course if you are a newbie that wants simple and concise lessons.
You start with learning the fundamentals—types of variables, operators, objects, and how to comment. Next, you learn functions, classes, APIs, and JS graphics. At the end of each lesson, you have to pass a simple practice test.
The well-thought-out structure, clear explanations, and fame of W3Schools are the biggest advantages of this resource.
JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures by freeCodeCamp.org
freeCodeCamp is a huge resource for learning a new programming language. And when I say huge…I mean huge!
freeCodeCamp includes thousands of hours of study material, and that is no exaggeration. JavaScript Algorithms and Data Structures is a module to study JavaScript.
The creators of the module estimate that it takes 300 hours of study. The interface is user-friendly and the explanations precise, so you may spend less time if you are passionate about it.
Anyhow, freeCodeCamp is a website worth visiting for anyone interested in learning new programming languages.
Learn JavaScript by Codecademy
Codecademy – Watching the lessons of this course is free, but you have to purchase a premium subscription to practice the exercises.
But upgrading your subscription gets you more than just access to the practice files of this class. You get unlimited access to all of Codeacademy’s many useful classes and practice projects.
By completing the JavaScript course, you receive a certification which might be a small advantage to getting hired.
JavaScript Guide by Mozilla
JavaScript Guide by Mozilla – This JavaScript course is rather concise and effective documentation.
It lacks the practice part, but it saves a lot of time by focusing on what you need to know—operators, functions, classes, objects, etc.
In addition to the plain theoretical aspects, the class offers many examples, which is pretty helpful for students.
20 Web Projects with Vanilla JavaScript – Video
20 Web Projects with Vanilla JavaScript – O’Reilly is a famous book publishing platform that has transformed itself into a knowledge hub.
Amongst many interesting books, courses, and videos, this class by Brad Traversy is a great resource for a JavaScript apprentice. It’s focused on practice; the students should accomplish the following projects:
- Form validator.
- Movie seat booking.
- Custom video player.
- Meal finder.
- Expense tracker.
- Infinite scroll posts.
- Typing game.
The class’ many exciting projects make it worth the money.
The Complete JavaScript Course 2022: From Zero to Expert!
Udemy – The Complete JavaScript Course – The stats of this class say everything about it: 600K students enrolled and 130K people rated, on average, 4.7 out of 5 stars. The class has 69 hours of explanations, so the course really goes into depth on JavaScript.
The course creators didn’t neglect the practice part— students have to pass 25 coding challenges and build 5 projects. The course covers not only Vanilla JavaScript, but also some famous frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.
The Complete 2022 Web Development Bootcamp
The Complete 2022 Web Development Bootcamp – This is another complex course; in fact, it’s a genuine development Bootcamp.
You will learn JavaScript, but it’s way more than that. HTML, CSS, MongoDB, Web3, React, Redux, and Node are topics presented in this massive class.
To complete the course, you are required to finish 16 coding projects. Overall, this course is all you need to learn front-end development and get ready to apply for a junior position.
Books
JavaScript from Beginner to Professional
JavaScript from Beginner to Professional – Most people like video classes, but many others prefer books, digital or hardcopy. JavaScript from Beginner to Professional is a freshly launched book aimed to take you from zero to hero.
Download a free chapter of the book to see if it’s right for you. The authors are pretty well-known in the JavaScript community, so you have enough reasons to look closer at this recommendation.
Human JavaScript
Human JavaScript – This book targets the intermediary to advanced users, but even less-trained JavaScript enthusiasts may give it a try.
Bear in mind that the free version is incomplete, and you have to pay to get the full edition.
The author supposes that you have a JavaScript background and shows you ways to write more understandable code. You may say that it’s a book only for advanced users. But I think that it’s better to learn best practices from the start, isn’t it?
Learning JavaScript Design Patterns
Learning JavaScript Design Patterns – This book is also for people who have at least minimal JavaScript knowledge. The author, Addy Osmani, is a well-known developer and content creator.
Check out this book to learn design, rendering, and performance patterns. It’s not an easy lecture, but you will learn plenty of advanced tips. Some ideas from this book could help you pass a job interview, so don’t skip this book.
Over to You
I believe that the tips, tools, and learning resources within this article are enough to become a genuine JavaScript expert.
Learning a coding language isn’t simple, especially for beginners, so don’t expect fast results, and be patient. Consistency is more important than the skills you were born with.
Good luck, and let us know how your progress is going!
