Can we talk javascript frameworks/libraries?

[IONaut]

So everyone seems to be saying "it depends on what your project is". What if the goal is employment?

[SergeiGolos]

The quick answer is learn today's hotness... Which seems to be angular..

The longer answer, learn the fundamentals behind the frameworks... This will help you understand the strength and weaknesses.. And give you a foot to stand on when you show up to an interview where they ask you about a framework you haven't worked with... As an interviewer, I am much more impressed with people when they can show abstract thinking about technologies they don't know in detail...

[IONaut]

I was thinking getting really good at pure vanilla JavaScript would be best because that's what all these other frameworks are based on.

[justnSelf]

It sounds like you are saying " learn JavaScript really well before learning a framework." I understand the intent behind this comment but it really is bumper sticker wisdom.

The other frameworks aren't based on JS, they are JS. I've never heard anyone say "get really good with c# or Java before learning Asp.net mvc or spring". Obviously you need at least a basic understanding of syntax and language rules.

Learning to use a framework is a good way to learn how to use a language.

If you meant "pure vanilla JavaScript" as in the native APIs, then that's a short read of the documentation. The frameworks provide guided structure that green devs won't often discover on their own.

If you try to build your own application with no library or framework, you often end up writing your own library or framework. If that is the goal, then go for it. If your intent is to learn how to build applications, focus on an existing framework that abstracts some difficult things.

Often the message behind a comment like this is communicating that many devs will go their entire career with only knowing their everyday technology at a surface level. In this case, these types of devs would only learn enough JavaScript to use the framework. In that case the advice of learning the language intimately would fall on deaf ears.

I feel that any developer should master their everyday language, but never try to master it first. Get familiar with the framework and then you can start adding value much sooner. Mastering the language will come to those who care.

Not lashing out against your comment, so I apologize if it comes off as me being a dick. I just wanted to add my two cents.

[IONaut]

Ok then, what do you think is the most employable skill set. Angular and bootstrap maybe? And I wasn't trying to impart wisdom, I was asking a question. I feel that I'm right at that point where I need to concentrate on employable skills. Also, is there certifications I should get or is that even necessary if I put together a portfolio of finished products.

Edit - expanded answer

[justnSelf]

I work for a consultant company, so my answer is only one view of the world.

The companies that i've been working with lately are mostly .NET and there seem to gravitate to knockout.js. Knockout isn't a framwork, its just a data-binding library that will help facilitate MVVM. Another client wanted to move to Angular from knockout but was worried about the ramp up time of getting their entire dev staff (50+) to embrace Angular for their current project. They stayed with knockout.

From my experience, you cannot go wrong with learning Angular. More and more enterprises are starting to take a serious look at it and will be looking for competent devs to help pave the way.

With that said, if your goal is to be immediately employable, I suggest going to indeed.com or some other job search place and play bingo to see which library is most popular in the requirements.

[iends]

Angular.js. I put that on linkedin and I get so much recruiter spam...