Want to code JavaScript? Start here.

Don’t know where to start with code? You’re not alone.
I’m often asked where and how I learned to code. And after years of watching tutorials, reading articles, and just trying to find the best way to learn, I’ve compiled a list of online resources that are personal favorites of mine. My hope is that you’ll find them equally as useful.
Gordon Zhu from Watch and Code nails the tutorial issue right on the head. In a nutshell, he says there are all these tutorials out there that do a great job of teaching you syntax and features of a language — but don’t do as great a job teaching you how to build and make things with those skills. Nor do they often teach you the why behind what you’re learning. As you venture out into the coding world, always make it a goal to learn the why behind what you’re doing, instead of simply learning language specific syntax.
“Probably the most important tip I can give anyone thats trying to learn, especially learning to code, is to write the code yourself.
Whether you’re reading a book or watching a video, or you’re following a tutorial online, don’t copy and paste the code. Type every single letter and character yourself. This helps to cement it into muscle memory and into your mind in a way that copying and pasting and just reading over it really doesn’t do.” — Kenneth Love
There’s no question that actually putting your hands to the keys and typing out code is one of the best ways to learn. That being said, when you start watching online tutorial, I’d highly suggest you try watching the videos without following along. And then rewatch them a second time while following along. Type the code, and do the assignments. You’ll learn faster.
Another technique I’ve found useful is note-taking. Yes, old school pen and paper note-taking. Taking notes not only serves as a great reference for the future, but can help your brain solidify what you’re learning. That being said, everyone learns differently. So experiment and find what works best for you.
Below you’ll find a list of my my favorite resources for learning how to code:
Watch and Code: watchandcode.com
If you’re starting from ground zero, or simply want to freshen up on your JavaScript fundamentals, this is the place to start. Gordon Zhu is a master at simplifying what others often make complex.
Treehouse: teamtreehouse.com
This is my go-to resource for most everything. They produce some of the most high quality, up-to-date training out there. And if you use Twitter, make sure to follow @ryancarson — their founder. He’s the definition of driven, and will provide some daily inspiration.
Pluralsight: www.pluralsight.com
Pluralsight is one of the largest training resources out there. They offer videos on most everything. Not a bad supplement to Treehouse or Watch And Code if you want to go deeper.
Meetup: www.meetup.com
Go to a Meetup sometime! They’re great — even if you know nothing. They’re available for JavaScript, Swift, and everything in-between.
There are a million different articles and videos out there about coding and learning how to code. These are a few that I’ve found to be most helpful in my learning journey:
How to be great at asking coding questions
Imposter Syndrome
4 tips for better productivity while learning
Accelerated Learning To Code
If you were giving yourself advice, back when you were a beginner developer, what would you say?
Lastly, make sure to chose a language that excites you. Don’t simply learn the language that pays the most. I’ve started learning many different languages that I thought I’d love, only to discover I really had no interest. So don’t give up if you don’t fall head-over-heels with your first language.
“If you want to be an indie developer and work on your own projects, then choose to learn a programming language you love. Choose the platform that motivates you. If you love Apple products and want to develop for them, then choose Objective-C and Swift. If you love Android, then choose Java. [if you love the web, then choose JavaScript]. My best advice is to do you research and first decide on and idea and then a platform.” — Jennifer Nordell

Now that you have some resources to get started, go to your favorite coffee shop, library, or nook, and start coding! Taking the first step is often the hardest part — and as Nike says, “Just Do It.”
Have a learning resource that you really enjoy? Let me know what it is!
— Brandon Leichty
