JavaScript crashcourse

August 4, 2005 1:17 PM

JavaScriptCrashCourseFilter: I have just been presented with a great career opportunity if I can get up to speed in JavaScript at great velocity- what's the best way to do it?

I checked out thau!'s excellent The Book of JavaScript from the library which I read a quarter of last night, but it is specifically directed at JS for web: I need to become proficient in it more as a programming language, rather than how to do rollovers etc. I know the best way to learn is just to start writing stuff - how would you go about this?

posted by russmail to Computers & Internet (10 answers total)

I believe JavaScript: The Definitive Guide explains the language before getting into web details (I haven't read it).
posted by null terminated at 1:25 PM on August 4, 2005

I second the recommendation for JS:tDG, but if you want something to supplement it you might want to check out w3schools' JavaScript tutorial, which is somewhat web-focused, granted, but free and online. w3schools also has numerous code samples, etc. Good luck!
posted by harmfulray at 1:35 PM on August 4, 2005

thanks - I appreciate that JS:tDG is the bible of JS, but it's a 900 page monolith which doesn't sit well with my crashcourse idea: I was rather hoping for a more hands on approach. How have others learnt JS, or indeed other languages - surely not by going through great tomes page by page?
posted by russmail at 1:54 PM on August 4, 2005

If you check the Table of Contents to JS:tDG you'll see that most of the 900 page monolith is reference material. The "Core JavaScript" chapter is quite concise.
posted by elderling at 2:17 PM on August 4, 2005

Yes, all you'd need is section 1, "Core Javascript".
posted by null terminated at 3:26 PM on August 4, 2005

DHTML Utopia: Modern Web Design Using JavaScript & DOM is a good introduction; QuirksMode and SitePoints JavaScript & DHTML Tutorials have more info.
posted by kirkaracha at 3:55 PM on August 4, 2005

One of the best "intro to javascript" sources I've found is a bit out of date but I found it invaluable when I was learning javascript: the aptly named
Javascript learning center.

Don't expect it to do more than get you up to speed on the basics: I've always liked the way the author introduces the topics in plain english and doesn't throw you into objects immediately, but eases you into it . . .
posted by jeremias at 7:05 PM on August 4, 2005

Assign yourself a project, (or better yet, have someone else assign it to you), then figure out, step-by-step how to accomplish it with JS, if you can (solving problems as they come with books & google). Far better than just copy/pasting tutorials. For instance, build a mortgage calculator, or a slot machine, or a photo gallery.
posted by kokogiak at 7:18 PM on August 4, 2005

I can't help but think crash course in Javascript is much like a crash course in CSS. You can learn the core language and document object model fairly quickly -- but the quid pro quos and gotchas are going to take weeks or months to pick up on.

Nevertheless, the suggestions here are good. I especially second kokogiak's suggestion, kirkaracha's resources, and of course, JS:tDG.
posted by weston at 8:11 PM on August 4, 2005

At the time, I found the tutorials on webmonkey great (here and here). They touch both javascript for the web (forms, buttons, ect.) and javascript as a programming language (variables, statements, ect.).

good luck!
posted by mirileh at 12:31 AM on August 5, 2005