Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#1

Post by sottenad » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 12:15 AM UTC

I am a front-end developer, and over the last few years I have become a bit fuzzy on my raw-javascript skills due to a heavy reliance on jQuery. After seeing some of the amazing stuff that node/backbone/other js frameworks are accomplishing, I think its time to dive in head-first to some more advanced JS. Any suggestions for books/sites/tutorials to put me in the right direction. Much appreciated!

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#2

Post by joelklabo » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 12:20 AM UTC

The obvious one is "The Good Parts" by Crockford.

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#3

Post by Jordox » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 12:25 AM UTC

Not a book but a end-to-end JavaScript platform. I would recommend looking at the Wakanda platform (www.wakanda.org). Wakanda will let you develop with JavaScript from end-to-end. Your database are JavaScript objects, your server side logic is JavaScript, your front end is a JavaScript framework. And you can design in the GUI or in the code editor.

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#4

Post by sottenad » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 12:26 AM UTC

joelklabo wrote: post #2

The obvious one is "The Good Parts" by Crockford.

Thanks!

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#5

Post by syncerr » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 4:19 AM UTC

joelklabo wrote: post #2

The obvious one is "The Good Parts" by Crockford.

Ironically, the most useful part of this book is near the end "Appendix B: Bad Parts".

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#6

Post by mzarate06 » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:10 AM UTC

I recommend not 1, but 3. Even better if you read them in this order:

Javascript: The Good Parts by Crockford Javascript Patterns, by Stefanov Javascript Web Applications, by MacCaw

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#7

Post by akxs14 » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 9:13 AM UTC

I'll go to with the 'The Good Parts' book but compliment it with 'High Performance Javascript' by Zakas. It comes as a natural continuation of it after you have everything from 'Good Parts' sink in in your head

Re: Ask HN: Best book for learning advanced javascript

#8

Post by kachhalimbu » Thu, Jan 05, 2012, 11:21 AM UTC

The best I have found for advanced javascript to be is "Secrets of the Javascript Ninja"[1] by John Resig and Bear Bibeault. Highly recommended. Currently I am reading "Javascript web applications"[2] by Alex MacCaw and it seems to be well written and to the point as well.

[1] http://www.manning.com/resig/ [2] http://shop.oreilly.com/product/0636920018421.do