13 Steps to become a JavaScript Pro. Step 1: The Fundamentals
Your First Step to Becoming a JavaScript Pro.
JavaScript is a popular programming language used to create dynamic and interactive websites. To become proficient in JavaScript, there are several topics to delve into, which this series aims to cover in a non-exhaustive way as a starting point for learning and improving.
These are the topics we will cover:
Step 1: The Fundamentals
Step 2: Understanding the DOM
Step 3: Arrays and Objects
Step 4: Functions and Scope
Step 5: Events and Event Listeners
Step 6: Loops and Iteration
Step 7: Regular Expressions
Step 8: Asynchronous JavaScript
Step 9: ES6 and Beyond
Step 10: Debugging
Step 11: Libraries and Frameworks
Step 12: Testing
Step 13: Contributing to Open-Source
Each topic will be accompanied by a contextual text that will facilitate your understanding of the subject matter, followed by a set of useful links to online resources and books that you can purchase if you wish to delve further.
So, let’s begin and if you like, let me know what you think!
Mastering the fundamentals is essential.
In this article, we will cover the basics of HTML and CSS, which are the building blocks of web development, followed by core concepts of JavaScript such as variables, data types, functions, and control flow.
HTML and CSS basics:
HTML stands for Hypertext Markup Language, which is used to structure and present content on the web. CSS, or Cascading Style Sheets, is used to add style and layout to HTML documents. Learning HTML and CSS is essential for building any website, as it provides the foundation for JavaScript.
Core JavaScript concepts:
After mastering HTML and CSS, it’s time to learn the core concepts of JavaScript. This includes variables, data types, functions, and control flow. Variables are used to store data values, while data types determine the type of data that can be stored in a variable. Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform specific tasks, while control flow refers to the order in which statements are executed in a program.
Data types and variables:
JavaScript supports several data types, including numbers, strings, booleans, objects, and arrays. Each data type has its own unique properties and methods. Variables are used to store data values, and they can be declared using the var, let, or const keywords. Understanding data types and variables is crucial for writing effective JavaScript code.
Control flow and decision-making:
Control flow refers to the order in which statements are executed in a program. Decision-making is an important part of control flow and is used to make decisions based on specific conditions. In JavaScript, decision-making is done using if/else statements, switch statements, and ternary operators.
Functions and scope:
Functions are reusable blocks of code that perform specific tasks. They can be defined using the function keyword and can accept arguments and return values. Understanding function scope is also essential, as it determines which variables are accessible within a function.
Useful Links:
To learn more about HTML and CSS, check out the following resources:
- Mozilla Developer Network: Introduction to HTML (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/HTML/Introduction_to_HTML)
- W3Schools: HTML Tutorial (https://www.w3schools.com/html/)
- Mozilla Developer Network: CSS Layout (https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/CSS/CSS_layout)
- W3Schools: CSS Tutorial (https://www.w3schools.com/css/)
To learn more about JavaScript, check out the following resource:
- JavaScript.info: JavaScript Basics (https://javascript.info/first-steps)
Recommended Books:
For those looking to dive deeper into web development and JavaScript, we recommend the following books:
- “HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites” by Jon Duckett (https://www.amazon.com/HTML-CSS-Design-Build-Websites/dp/1118008189)
- “JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development” by Jon Duckett (https://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-JQuery-Interactive-Front-End-Development/dp/1118531647)
- “Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming” by Marijn Haverbeke (https://eloquentjavascript.net/)
- “JavaScript: The Good Parts” by Douglas Crockford (https://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Good-Parts-Douglas-Crockford/dp/0596517742)
- “You Don’t Know JS” series by Kyle Simpson (https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS)
Note: If you make a purchase by clicking on the links I have provided, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Go to Step 2: Understanding the DOM
