One serious downside to learning to code in a language like javaScript or Python on a site like codeAcademy is that there is no avenue for experimentation. The instruction is decent but the process is very linear, and all of the code you develop is out on the vendor server. People really should set up an environment on their own computer to take the lessons into the experimentation phase. There need to be exercises at the end of the chapter so people put the skills to use and internalize key learning concepts.

Over the course of the next week I’m going to document a few concepts, processes, and exercises that will help someone that’s tying to learn a javaScript and get it in on their own laptop and perhaps help make the learning stick.