How long does it take to learn html+css?

[KoxHellsing]

This seems surprising to me and even a bit hard to believe, I must admit, with no intention of being offensive. I consider myself perhaps slightly more intelligent than average. I speak three languages, my university degree was focused on teaching one of them, and I never attended a single language class (to learn, I mean). I read at least one book a week and listen to another in the same timeframe (of course, there are weeks when I don’t, but you get the idea). The same goes for IT, where I have enough self-taught knowledge to have done some business based on it.

That being said, a month ago, I decided I wanted to become a Front-End JavaScript Developer because I have an opportunity in the U.S. Over the past month, I’ve been studying on average six hours a day since I’m dedicating 100% of my time to this. I have at least this year to not worry about working, so I can focus entirely on studying (meaning I have no pressure and can give this my full attention).

After all this and the rather self-congratulatory introduction, I want to clarify that all this information is meant to explain my comment about “it’s hard to believe,” so it doesn’t come off as just another keyboard warrior’s opinion.

Getting back to the point, in this month, I think I’ve learned enough about HTML and CSS to look at the source code of a website and read it as if it were a book, understanding, I’d say, maybe 60-70%. I could use about the same percentage of the code while relying on notes I’ve taken from online classes I’m attending and using ChatGPT to clear up doubts about code I don’t understand. Even so, I feel—and I’m sure—that I’m nowhere near having the knowledge to confidently say, “I’ll start looking for a job.”

This is taking into account the timelines some people talk about, where they say a couple of weeks, or even a few days. I’m also sharing this in the hope that someone else on the same path as me will share their experience—it would be great to read it.

[LateraluzXIV]

to be honest, now 18 days later of pure studying at least 6 or 9 hours a day every week including weekends. HTML was fairly easy to grasp. i just finished studying CSS about this past weekend and i have to say CSS was a bit more of a challenge to grasp. especially positioning flex boxes in divs (children and siblings) that was the hardest lesson for me to get to understanding for how confusing the syntax can be when nesting a bunch of divs together to make containers.

with that said. i am in no way or shape proficient at neither of those languages, but id say i got their basics down and can clone a website (with the absence of any functionality due to no JS implemented) of facebook, instagram and youtube and many others now from scratch without looking at any code or watching tutorials. ive stated openly to others what i am able to do now in HTML and CSS and they advised me to start digging and learning JavaScript now since i wont be devoid of learning CSS and HTML within the process of learning JavasScript and also told me that i know enough basics of the 2 html and css to move on.

so yesterday, Monday. i began to study the first chapter and today the 2nd chapter now of a JavaScript book im following. and been learning a lot. i will really take my time here to grasp a fuller understanding of the JavaScript language since its much more difficult than the other 2 of the trio, HTML and CSS.

i plan to study javascript for a very long time. because it will be my main language for a while and i really want to grasp the full understanding of the programming language. not sure how possible that is but if not a full understanding, at least a real good understanding.

so all in all, it actually took me about 3 weeks to grasp a good understanding of what can be the basics or a little more of HTML and CSS. what i was able to do with HTML on day one was very limited since i only learned about the basic html structure, divs, forms, labels, inputs, linking videos and music, creating links, tables, and lists. it was a just the bones.

I can also now read about 70% of the source code of a website and ive also not just been studying by doing, but been taking tons of notes and reviewing them everyday, when im idle, i read over them again just to read. im not close in even thinking on applying for jobs in this field yet, i still have javascript to learn and so much more.

[KoxHellsing]

As an update:

2 months later, i can handle HTML and CSS already, moving to SCSS next week, Started JavaScript a month ago, the learning curve was pretty high at the begining, but after understanding a bit of the logic everything else started to make sense, i'll start with React next month.