As a supplementary resource rather than a primary learning guide, I found this site[1] to be profoundly helpful. It explains a lot of the intricacies, oddities, pitfalls and points of confusion in the language.
Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
21–30 of 99 posts
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#22I found JavaScript: The Good Parts useful. It's very short and gets right to the point. The author focuses on the parts of the language people tend to use every day and highlights some gotchas and common mistakes that you might not expect (like == vs ===) if you're coming in from other languages.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#23Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#24Forget books, start coding!! To get going, CodeAcademy.com is amazing!!
Codecademy is good for the absolute basics, but I found anything beyond that seriously lacking.
I remember really hating the tutorial on 'How to use APIs with Javascript', for example. It basically told me exactly what to type in and I 'passed' the course without understanding any of it.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think this is more for someone already familiar with the foundation level than for a beginner
The irony of a book called "You Don't Know JS" not in fact intended for people who don't know JS. :)
Idk, I always interpreted it as a conversation, where you the reader are saying "I know javascript" and Kyle Simpson says that you don't, which is how the book is intended.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
The irony of a book called "You Don't Know JS" not in fact intended for people who don't know JS. :)
Idk, I always interpreted it as a conversation, where you the reader are saying "I know javascript" and Kyle Simpson says that you don't, which is how the book is intended.
I've taken a few of his online courses and he does an excellent job telling someone they don't know js, without coming off arrogant. I think it's mostly because he can explain most issues in depth but as a previous comment pointed out, it isn't really a beginner series. Although, I am not sure "[learning] javascript" necessarily means that the learner is completely inexperienced.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#27I found JavaScript: The Good Parts useful. It's very short and gets right to the point. The author focuses on the parts of the language people tend to use every day and highlights some gotchas and common mistakes that you might not expect (like == vs ===) if you're coming in from other languages.
One warning: Although it's a good book, it was published in 2008 and a lot has been added to the language since then. It will give you a solid understanding of the core of the language, but for modern best practices you'll have to look elsewhere.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#28Forget books, start coding!! To get going, CodeAcademy.com is amazing!!
Codecademy is good for the absolute basics, but I found anything beyond that seriously lacking. I remember really hating the tutorial on 'How to use APIs with Javascript', for example. It basically told me exactly what to type in and I 'passed' the course without understanding any of it.
I had the same experience, it gives a false sense of security. I can pass the courses without having even a remedial understanding of the underlying concepts.
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#29https://leanpub.com/javascriptallongesix
everything by Reg “raganwald” Braithwaite is fantastic
Re: Ask HN: Best current book to learn JavaScript?
#30I found JavaScript: The Good Parts useful. It's very short and gets right to the point. The author focuses on the parts of the language people tend to use every day and highlights some gotchas and common mistakes that you might not expect (like == vs ===) if you're coming in from other languages.
One warning: Although it's a good book, it was published in 2008 and a lot has been added to the language since then. It will give you a solid understanding of the core of the language, but for modern best practices you'll have to look elsewhere.
Where would you suggest?