Learning JavaScript Quickly in 2023

It’s a new year, and you’ve decided to learn something new.

In 2023, I’ll learn how to program! You might have excitingly told yourself.

Despite what people tell you about ChatGPT replacing programmers, learning how to write code would be a very good idea. The AI is impressive, but it’s far from good enough to replace software engineers.

Let’s explore how you can begin learning JavaScript today.

Should everyone learn JavaScript?

Everyone in this country should learn how to program because it teaches you how to think.– Steve Jobs

We believe everyone should know how to program, and JavaScript is a high-level language, making it very easy for beginners to learn. Although, mastery of JavaScript isn’t as straightforward. There are a lot of idiosyncrasies that are unique to the language – you will be sure to experience them for yourself as you continue progressing through the language.

You will also be able to build some really cool stuff with JavaScript. Nearly the entire web is built on JavaScript. Every website you visit is surely to have some JavaScript code running on it, if not being completely built with a JavaScript framework. You also have options to build desktop applications with Electron, or even mobile applications with React Native.

Aside from this, JavaScript is probably the most in-demand programming language in existence, so you won’t be short of a job if you truly master this language.

Is there a “best” tutorial?

Honestly, there are no “best” tutorials. There are, however, learning styles that are best for you. Go to YouTube, for example, and enter “JavaScript tutorial”:

All of these videos most likely contain the same content. They are all going to cover the basics – variables, loops, conditionals, etc. Although the instructor may or may not resonate with you. You might find one of them to be boring, or to speak too fast. Watch them all, choose one that you can listen to.

If videos aren’t your thing, you might prefer blog posts, email courses, or interactive tutorials like codecademy. There are also lots of books to choose from on Amazon, such as Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming.

Note: Eloquent JavaScript is also free to read online, here.

Choosing the right course

Let’s get this out of the way – there are an overwhelming number of courses to choose from.

Yikes! Let us share a secret with you… As long as the course you choose is fairly well-known, it doesn’t matter which you choose, what truly matters is your ability to stick the course out – to finish it completely before moving on to another.

However, there are definitely better quality courses. We recommend a course that covers both theoretical and practical knowldege. For example, in Jonas Schmedtmann’s JavaScript course on Udemy, he has lectures on the JavaScript engine and runtime, execution contexts, scoping, hoisting, and much more (you can read more about some of these topics in our article Effective JavaScript).

Not only does it cover the theoretical knowledge, but it also goes over building an application, Forkify. You get to apply both types of knowledge with these types of courses, and that is going to speed up your process of learning JavaScript.

Focus on the right things

Build projects. Lots of them. And do it from scratch – try to get away from tutorials.

You’re going to need to build a lot of things if you want to get good with JavaScript. The courses and tutorials you follow will help you accomplish this. But you should definitely try to build projects 100% from scratch. Open your empty text editor, and start writing code!

There’s no way you’re going to remember how to do everything. That’s totally fine. Google is a few keystrokes away.

It’s time you create something BIG!

Try to create something that is actually useful in the real world. This is where you will truly gain the most experience and knowledge – when you truly want to create something. For example, let’s say you’re a fan of chess. You would like to physically play with people in your area, but there’s nothing online to find other chess players. The solution? Create a chess website for your area!

You would then have a nice portfolio piece, and maybe some new friends to play chess with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is JavaScript worth learning in 2023?

Absolutely. JavaScript is everywhere, and new tools are released almost on a daily basis. As we’ve mentioned briefly above, JavaScript can build both desktop and mobile applications, and it can also be used as a backend programming language.

Is JavaScript hard to learn?

JavaScript can be difficult to master, but it’s not hard to get started building things with it quickly. As stated, it’s a high-level language and is very forgiven.

Where can I practice JavaScript?

You can practice algorithmic JavaScript questions on Codewars and freeCodeCamp.

What’s the best resource to learn JavaScript?

There are many resources. Our favorites are freeCodeCamp, the Odin Project, and the MDN documentation.

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