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I am a self-taught programmer. I had many questions about where to start, how to start initially. I wasted a lot of time going through different sources to gain knowledge. Then I figured out the following path for learning javascript in the best way.
Every programming language has the same set of features more or less. If you know at least one programming language then getting familiar with other languages will be easy.
Here we are going to see what are different features that javascript provides and what is the best way in which we need to learn.
To give a little context about javascript:
Primarily javascript is for the web. So, When you go to any website or web application there you will see all the content that will get populated using HTML (layout) & CSS (Design).
Whereas javascript plays a role when you try to interact with that application. Let's say you want to fill the form, upload/download a file, enter details, etc. everything is the interaction that you do with that application handled by javascript (behavior).
Hope that clarifies what can javascript actually does.
Let's move on to what is present in javascript and how to learn it:
Starting with basics is always important as it is essential to get familiar with the syntax. Which includes:
- Variables
- Syntax
- data types
- operators
- conditional statements - if, if-else, switch.. etc.
- comments
- Loops - while, for, etc.
Learning one time would suffice.
Several language-specific frequently used features. Which includes:
- String and methods
- Arrays and methods
- Date and methods
- Math
- Regex
Practicing several examples and several times make you an expert in using them.
Building blocks of language. Which includes:
- All about Functions
- All about objects
- Classes
- Handling DOM
- All about JSON
- Async javascript
- Modules
- any other javascript-specific handling like using this, coercion, errors, hoisting, style guide, etc.
Getting the concept of these items is very much important. Learning and practicing with simple examples for 1-2 times enough. You would easily grasp what each one does as per its context.
Knowing internals. Which includes:
- Browser APIs
- Web APIs
- javascript execution context
- Memory handling
- Interpreter/compiler
Go through them once and keep in mind what each topic does.
Keep practicing below items
- Array methods
- String methods
- Date methods
- Regex methods
- Math methods
There are couple more things we usually have to follow:
- Trying any programming paradigms like functional programming
- Going through different javascript articles
- Going through interview questions or programming examples
- Doing simple projects
This path makes you an expert in javascript.
Do follow only one website or tutorial or youtube channel where all these contents are covered. Going through each of them in order will be very much helpful.
All the very best.
Thank you.