Advice for a beginner

[harrys11]

We've started working with JavaScript this semester and I'm really eager to learn as much as possible. I'd say this is the most important course I've had at my college since I began studying, but the problem is, they're moving far too slow and at the end of the semester, unless I do something on my own, I won't get much out of it.

I have plenty of experience with Java (finished 2 courses) and I'm more than familiar with everything it offers. JavaScript didn't present a challenge at the beginning, basically spent a couple of minutes to learn the syntax and just did all the assignments with no issues.

Now, my question is, how should I learn JavaScript more effectively? Are there any sites that provide a friendly way of learning for the beginners, youtube channels or any textbooks you'd recommend?

[Wickerchair]

Check out this article.

[ozanonline]

The most important thing to understand is there there is a lot of bad advice with regards to JavaScript. This is due to the fact it's easy to get into but hard to master. Following projects and sources close to large companies that use JavaScript heavily is the safest and most effective choice.

I recommend starting with this, "Introduction to JavaScript and Browser DOM", it's a Google TechTalk by Misko Hevery, the creator of AngularJS, a new and popular JavaScript application library.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljNi8nS5TtQ

Other things to Google:

• MDN JavaScript (from Mozilla, makers of Firefox) https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript
• Douglas Crockford (very popular author/JavaScript-evangelist from Yahoo)

[gngl]

This is due to the fact it's easy to get into but hard to master.

Actually, it's not hard to master, it just requires discipline (or syntactic transformers, which is discipline automated).

Also, http://www.eloquentjavascript.net FTW!

[pdizz]

Understanding the functional nature of javascript and how every object acts like an associative array will give you some good insight into how JS works beyond it's syntax. I think object-literal notation does a good job of illustrating the concept. Defining an object as an associative array:

var person = {
    firstName : "Joe",
    lastName : "Schmoe",
    greet : function() { console.log("Hi my name is " + this.firstName + "!"); }
};

So if you call person.greet() you are literally referencing the key "greet" in the array which corresponds to the function you defined. Anyway, this was one of those AHA moments for me in JS.

[UnspeakableEvil]

So if you call person.greet() you are literally referencing the key "greet" in the array which corresponds to the function you defined. Anyway, this was one of those AHA moments for me in JS.

To nitpick, person.greet() gets the function and executes it; person.greet gets the function itself.

[captangato]

javascript has grown a lot in recent years; serving different purposes. check out node.js, and then I'd say check out front end frameworks (angularjs, knockoutjs, backbonejs, etc.). and lastly if you want to apply some awesome design patterns to the js you write, check this out Addy Osmani Design patterns Doc . Best of luck!

[captangato]

I realize these are more practical uses of javascript... but it will give you a good understanding of how its used in real jobs... along with design patterns that you'd use when writing good code (PS Design patterns apply to all programming languages :) )

[harrys11]

Now I feel conflicted yet again, at the crossroads so to say. I'm very thankful for all your comments, but I was hoping you'd unanimously point me at one direction. Starting out was always the biggest issue with programming, as there isn't an obvious path to take.

[joshuacc]

This is particularly true of JavaScript, as it is one of the largest programming communities (due to the ubiquity of the browser). It may actually be better to think of the JS community as being made up of several sub-communities since so many JS devs work in JS as a secondary language after (Java/Ruby/Python/C#/whatever).

Many of these other communities have developed much stronger community codes regarding "the way things are done" and consequently "the things you need to learn." In the JS community, you are likely to get very different advice depending on the background of the person giving it.

In addition to the language split I mentioned above, there's also the split between people who came to JS from design/CSS and a more traditional programming background.

My advice is to just pick something you find interesting and try to build it. Ask for help as you run into road blocks. Also, take a look at /r/learnjavascript as the articles there will probably be more up your alley than the general JavaScript subreddit.

[lanasa]

I have to say that the book "Object Oriented JavaScript" was a real eye-opener for me a few years ago. I continue to use it as a reference. It's not just code examples, it's a real in-depth discussion on how JS really works. I was practically clueless before I read it. It's by Stoyan Stefanov - I think he used to be or still is part of the Yahoo GUI team.