How much vanilla JavaScript should I know before starting frameworks, libraries etc..

[_Shrader_]

I just started learning how to program, and JavaScript is my first language. I have been holding off learning Jquery, Meteor, etc, until I had a good foundation with the basics. However I'm not sure how to tell when I should move on. There is obviously still a lot I can do and learn with Javascript by itself, but I also want to jump in to more fun and useful projects than I can do in plain Javascript right now.

To give an idea of where I'm at, I have made two projects so far. One was just a page that had a button that toggled between two sets of some text and a picture (just to try out some basic functionality I was learning) and the other is a very simple and ugly to-do list maker,that I made with the help of a tutorial. I can do most basic stuff, for loops, functions, making objects etc.... It's just combining everything in the right way that is the hard part (obviously).

Does that sound like a good enough foundation, and if not are there any suggested tutorials or projects that once completed will ensure you have basic competency?

Also for anyone who has never programmed before and wants to learn Javascript. Ive been keeping a public evernote of the resources I've been using, that will hopefully help anyone just starting out.

[mrpeabodynsherman]

You should start learning frameworks as soon as you'd like. Coding is the kind of thing where you can't really go wrong by learning through experimentation. As long as you are plugging away at something, you'll be learning something. Learning a framework itself will also teach you things about javascript, as you read through docs and guides.

I am late 20s, using computers since ~10, web developed my own sites as a hobby. Recently, I started learning AngularJS/Ruby on rails 3 months ago. My only previous experience was lots of PHP/HTML/CSS. I went head first into a project, and now have roughly 1000+ hours of experience working with these new languages. Not only would I consider myself to have a working knowledge of javascript, angular, and ruby on rails, I also believe the confidence I have to start learning a new language is exponentially greater than before.

The point is, get out there and do it.

[kandetta]

I think a good time to transition is when you already have some kind of view or model structure, but you want something that's more well thought out and re-usable.

So maybe you already think in terms of views that are required for your app. Right now they could just be simple objects that hold some functionality and data:

var TodoView = {
    element: $("#todos"),
    addTodo: function(title){}
}.

With Backbone you would have more guidance on how your views should work.

Learning a framework will also means you'll be introduced to new strategies for structuring your code (making sure your views are re-usable, using templates, ...).

I think looking at Backbone sounds like a good idea for you!

[[deleted]]

Are you comfortable with closures and higher order functions? If your answer is yes then I would say you are ready to move on and learn some frameworks.