As a non-programmer learning a programming requires systematic approach. After reviewing JavaScript from a few online tutorials, I thought do a my own little research one afternoon how others, like me, do learn JavaScript and advise others. A brief highlight is below:
- The Best Way to Learn JavaScript – by Andrew Burgess (envatotutplus.com).
It is little old post but interesting one. Suggestions:- Understand what JavaScript Is and Isn’t. JavaScript is the language of the browser.
- Work Through the Courses at Codecademy.com –
- Read A Good JavaScript Introduction – An Eloquent JavaScript is a good book (suggested by many others too).
- Build Something! – suggested examples include: A Photo Gallery, A To-do List, An Animating Box, and others.
- Begin Learning a JavaScript Library.
- How do you learn JavaScript? – Css Tricks – Forum. A forum participant, Merri, suggestions listed below, I found useful:
- JavaScript is functional: function is a top class player in the language. You create an object? It’s a function. You deal with existing object? It’s a function and thus you can do almost anything to it to change it. The ideal way to use JavaScript is to make a lot of small specialized functions instead of big “monster” functions that you easily end up with in more traditional languages (when making a complex task).
- JavaScript has a very interesting way to deal with closures that may first seem quite complex, but once you understand how it works it feels genius.
- Because you most often use JavaScript in a browser you also need to pay attention to the fact many of what seems “typical JavaScript” at first is actually the DOM. Stuff like `getElementById()` is a browser side interface that you separately need to learn. Cross-browser issues are part of web developer knowledge despite NOT really being part of JavaScript.
- Regular expressions. Learn them to make yourself a true wizard. You can use RegExps in many tasks to make your code short and efficient. (This is something I need to learn better myself.)
- Finally, for anyone who wishes to make the jump to really understand JavaScript I highly recommend John Resig’s Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja (http://jsninja.com/). It is probably the best JS book you can find.