JavaScript is the world’s most widely written coding language, adding interactivity to billions of websites. It’s one of the primary tools for a front-end web developer, alongside HTML and CSS. Having a good knowledge of JavaScript is handy for back-end developers too.
JavaScript is even starting to be utilized for desktop software, game development and mobile app development. Basically, JavaScript is everywhere – so learning it is a must for any aspiring coder.
Here are 9 of Code Conquest’s top JavaScript training recommendations. There’s something from every category – free and premium, online and offline, basic and extensive, hands-on and theoretical. Guaranteed, one is the perfect training for you.
Jump to recommendation:
- Treehouse – Front-end Web Development
- Code School – JavaScript Path
- Lynda.com – Introducing the JavaScript Language
- Codecademy – jQuery and JavaScript
- Book – Learning jQuery
- Book – JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
- Book – JavaScript and jQuery
- Book – Eloquent JavaScript
- Book – JavaScript: The Good Parts
Treehouse – Front-end Web Development
Frontend Web Development is a Track from Treehouse. It has an emphasis on foundational skills and there is no preliminary knowledge required. Among the topics are:
- How to Make a Website
- HTML
- CSS Foundations
- Introduction to Programming
- JavaScript Foundations
- jQuery Basics
- Website Optimization
The Track has a mix of practical hands-on projects that walk you through how to create a website, put it online and add JavaScript and jQuery. The hands-on projects are accompanied by formal studies of HTML, CSS, JavaScript and jQuery – meaning that you don’t need any preliminary skills to start this Track. All the training you need is included in the package.
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Code School – JavaScript Path
The Javascript Path from Code School offers some more advanced material. The exotic selection of sub-topics includes CoffeeScript, Backbone.js and Node.js as well as jQuery – and an understanding of HTML and CSS is assumed.
The topics include:
- Try jQuery
- jQuery Air: Captain’s Log
- CoffeeScript
- Anatomy of Backbone.js
- Real-time Web with Node.js
- jQuery: The Return Flight
- JavaScript Road Trip
Out of all the online training on JavaScript, this training digs the deepest. It would suit you if you already have a good grasp of HTML and CSS, and you really want to go places with JavaScript.
Click here for our in-depth Code School reviewLynda.com – Javascript Training
Lynda.com boasts over 25 courses dedicated to learning JavaScript. With a few entry level javascript courses to get you acclimated, such as: Introducing the JavaScript Language, there are plenty of advanced topics and frameworks covered as well.
Advanced topics include learning such javascript frameworks as Node.js, Ember.js, Underscore.js, Phaser and intermediate javascript functionality such as working with the DOM, Templating, Events and much more.
Digging deeper into an example of Introducing the Javascript Language, you can see what is in store below.
The six chapters of this course are as follows:
- Getting Started
- Variables and Types
- Objects, Arrays and More
- Operators and Control Structures
- Iterating with Loops
- Functions
While most training trains you to use JavaScript, you could say that this training trains you to speak JavaScript. If you want a firm grasp of the fundamentals, this training is what you’re looking for.
Click here for our in-depth Lynda reviewCodecademy – jQuery and JavaScript Tracks
The free jQuery track at Codecademy is a short and easy course in how to apply JavaScript to create interactive web pages. As you’d expect, this course expects you to have a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS.
In addition, there is also a free JavaScript track that explains concepts like control flow, data structures and objects. Combining JavaScript with HTML isn’t part of this course, so you don’t need any preliminary knowledge to take it.
The jQuery track is for you if you’ve completed the Web Fundamentals track at Codecademy and want to take the next step. The JavaScript track is for you if you have no prior HTML knowledge and want to start with JavaScript.
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Book – Learning jQuery
By Jonathan Chaffer and Karl Swedberg
Most JavaScript training has a heavy focus on jQuery or at least touches on it. If you’ve ever wanted to examine this framework more closely, Learning jQuery is what you’re looking for.
This book is recommended by the team behind jQuery and is often cited as one of the best resources. You can read it without any JavaScript experience, but you do need to know HTML and CSS. It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
By David Flanagan
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is part of the O’Reilly book series and one of the oldest and best-known references on the JavaScript language.
It has been called “a must-have reference” by the creator of JavaScript, Brendan Eich. The 6th edition, published in 2011, covers all major aspects of JavaScript coding including jQuery and server-side JavaScript.
As this is mainly a reference book, it’s useful if you’ve been learning JavaScript through other means and you want to take your understanding of the language to the next level. It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – JavaScript and jQuery
By Jon Duckett
JavaScript and jQuery is a book that falls into the ‘applied JavaScript’ category. It assumes you can write HTML and CSS, and shows you how to use JavaScript and jQuery to make your sites interactive.
If you enjoyed Jon Duckett’s first book, HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites, this full-color paperback book is ideal for you.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – Eloquent JavaScript
By Marijn Haverbeke
Eloquent JavaScript starts at the basics and continues through to the most advanced concepts of the JavaScript language. Along the way, it teaches you to write code that’s elegant and precise.
Eloquent JavaScript is what’s called a recipe book or cookbook – packed with fun game-like tutorials. If you want to create masterpieces and not just apps, this book is for you. It’s available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Book – JavaScript: The Good Parts
By Douglas Crockford
If you didn’t know, JavaScript is considered by many coders to be an unrefined, hurried language – with more than its share of bad features.
JavaScript: The Good Parts was written to help you unlearn all the bad features and focus on the genuinely elegant parts. It’s part of the O’Reilly series and is available in paperback and Kindle editions.
Click here to get it from Amazon.com...Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
