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Ask HN: Is this is a good way to learn JavaScript?

24 points by itsevrgrn ↗ HN
I know – these questions are asked a ton on here, but there is rarely a definitive answer. I understand that everyone learns differently, but I was wondering if you could critique my learning plan for this summer. I want to read through the materials for my uni's back end web development course [1], and take a front end class like this [2]. Let me know if these should suffice. I did the absolute basics of html and css last semester and this semester I took a course on the fundamentals of programming in Java [3]. Curious to hear your thoughts.

Links: [1] https://classes.engineering.wustl.edu/cse330/index.php/CSE_330_Online_Textbook_-_Table_of_Contents

[2] https://www.udemy.com/the-complete-web-developer-in-2018/?couponCode=DBJUNIOR281

[3] https://wustl.app.box.com/s/17s96l72w7fvihn1bz5s7sqiulguazag

12 comments

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travoltaj
Checkout JavaScript.info. I recently studied JavaScript from there and found it really good.
derstander
I've been trying to learn a bit more JavaScript myself. I'm an engineer by trade but I've worked on some web applications, so I have some practical experience with JavaScript (for typical front-end as well as with Meteor for full-stack). Despite that practical experience, I didn't feel that I had a solid understanding of JavaScript outside of libraries and frameworks.

I'm personally going through Haverbeke's "Eloquent JavaScript" -- both reading the chapters and completing all of the exercises. The 2nd Edition is written with ES5 in mind, the 3rd with ES6. The latter is only available online currently -- a print edition is stated to be in the works.

To practice my JavaScript, I joined a couple game jams where I used Phaser to build a couple small games over the course of a couple weekends. It was a mixed bag: I felt that I was learning the nuances of Phaser rather than strengthening my general JavaScript knowledge. I've been trying to replicate the "immersion" experience with JavaScript, though I've only been able to use it for personal projects at home: I can't use it at work (we build our analysis tools in MATLAB or Python, there's little experience in our group in JavaScript, and JavaScript is not typically used in our discipline).

[1] http://eloquentjavascript.net/

dprophecyguy
Go to freecodecamp.org and complete it. It will take you only one day to get started if you have any prior programming experience. After that, you will be pointed to different JS projects. Work on them and finish them and tada you know JS.
imauld
I've been doing his React course and it's been very helpful so far. I have no reason to believe his other course aren't just as good:

http://wesbos.com/courses/

NOTE: Some of his courses are paid. The plain JS course is free though. However, I paid for the React course and feel it was very worth it.

itsevrgrn
That tutorial is much more expensive than many others, is it that much better?

My friend bought a react tutorial which is good, not great. The teacher of the tutorial tends to just say what he is doing which is all to familiar for anyone who has tried to learn something from one of these "tutorials."

imauld
I got it on sale but yes it is. He goes in to a pretty good amount of detail. I haven't gotten stuck or confused at any point and I'm terrible at Javascript. Try out the the free 30 day JS challenge to see if you like his style.
deadcoder0904
I highly recommend reading the book You Don't Know JS [0]

It has a Gitbook version too [1]

But it is very big but really good that you will understand the depths of JavaScript. So to begin with learn Vanilla JavaScript. Vanilla JavaScript means JavaScript only without any framework.

Then try learning ES6(ES2015)/ES7(ES2016) or in generally ESM (EcmaScript Modules). You can learn it by checking the resources below on my personal Github repo.

So to summarise, learn Vanilla JS first, then EcmaScript Modules & then choose any framework. If you don't know what to choose, or are confused then I recommend choosing either one of React or Vue, due to both are very easy to start code with.

I also made a list of my favourite reads. Remember I read a lot of books & put my favourite on there [2]

[0]: https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS

[1]: https://www.gitbook.com/book/maximdenisov/you-don-t-know-js

[2]: https://github.com/deadcoder0904/awesome-javascript-reads

itsevrgrn
I have been reading YDKJS lately and I have found it really useful thus far.
flaviocopes
Any plan you follow, make sure you learn the "new" JavaScript syntax, ES2017/ES8. I find every ES release significantly simplifies JavaScript for beginners. So make sure it's _at least_ ES6. ES7 brings little to the table, but ES8 in its new features has async/await which is huge.

Shameless plug, I write daily about JavaScript and frontend development topics on my blog https://flaviocopes.com, with a very beginner-friendly style.

I don't have prepared learning plans _yet_, but I plan to work on that very soon, certainly before this summer, as a way to navigate my tutorials and go from level X to level Y.

itsevrgrn
Yes I definitely need to learn more ES6 and ES7 stuff.

Will be on the lookout for those learning plans!

soneca
I would suggest to try freecodecamp.org first.

My process, that I considered very successful, was:

1. Total focus on freecodecamp.org only, until I complete the first certificate (Front End)

2. Start building small, modest projects following tutorials and documentation - I think it is important to build them completely, including making it functional and available, deploying it.

Only after that, I went on to read good books like You Don't Know JS and Eloquent JavaScript.

I think this worked for me because I learn better coding (freecodecamp.org and codecademy.com's code-on-the-browser style) than reading books or watching videos. Also because I was focused on learning to get a job as a web developer (I did!).

If you think this could a be a good path for you, you can read my post "Learning to code" at my personal blog: https://rodrigohgpontes.github.io/

itsevrgrn
I did the basic JS syntax on fcc. Then took the dive into react, but had a hard time getting it.

I liked your posts and subscribed:)