JavaScript is essential for creating dynamic websites. You can learn JavaScript online at your own pace. You don’t have to wait until the end of class to learn the difficult stuff if you are confident. You can take a slower pace if you feel you need it.

JavaScript, along with HTML and CSS is an important building block of a website. JavaScript is a programming language that allows you to implement complex and dynamic features on web pages. You can be a web developer once you have learned it. You can edit content, manage multimedia, animate images and many other things.

Using JavaScript, you can:

• Interactive maps
• Animation 2D and 3D graphics
• Offer scrolling jukeboxes
• Manage the back-end of a website
• Be creative

JavaScript is very popular but can be hard to learn for beginners. You can learn JavaScript with a little bit of persistence and guidance to help you make your web pages stand out.

What is the average time it takes to learn JavaScript?

JavaScript is not like learning HTML and CSS. Although JavaScript is one of the easiest programming languages to learn, it is still a difficult language.

It can take up to six to nine months to master JavaScript if you are learning by yourself. You will need to learn how to program in JavaScript. This is important for learning how to use other programming languages.

You may want to learn JavaScript quicker than that by enrolling in an intensive Coding Bootcamp. Although it requires a financial investment to learn JavaScript, you can start building your portfolio in just 15 weeks.

You can also find many online tutorials like this free Learn JavaScript tutorial by Flatiron School, which covers the basics of JavaScript within 4 hours.

Don’t let time and investment discourage you. JavaScript is a great way to earn substantial dividends.

• https://www.udemy.com/course/the-complete-javascript-course/
• https://eu.mate.academy/courses/frontend-en
• https://www.codecademy.com/learn/paths/web-development
• https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/quick-start-javascript-1-1870

What do I need to know before I start learning JavaScript?

You should have a good understanding of JavaScript before you attempt to learn it. JavaScript is used for creating dynamic websites. It’s helpful to be familiar with the HTML and CSS web page building blocks. JavaScript is easy to learn without needing to be familiar with any other programming languages.

JavaScript is a programming language that you can learn once you are proficient in it. There will be many similarities between them.

Is JavaScript difficult?

JavaScript is a very easy programming language to learn, especially if you are a beginner. You will need to learn new things to keep your knowledge current once you’ve mastered the basics.

It can be more difficult to become an expert JavaScript developer because there are multiple ways to complete the same task. You will need to spend time learning which method is most effective for you. It’s easy to see the connections once you start working on a project.

What is the time it takes to learn JavaScript?

You probably know HTML and CSS well enough to understand how websites work and what you can do to improve it. Understanding these tools will show you have the computer literacy necessary to expand your knowledge. This will allow you to skip the more difficult parts and cut down on your learning time by a few weeks.

JavaScript is more than a markup language. JavaScript is a programming language that takes more time to learn and master. There are many resources that can help you practice, such as books, forums and online information.

Let’s start with the basics.

JavaScript basics

There are two types of programming languages: interpreted or compiled. JavaScript is an interpretable language. This means that the program runs as written, from start to finish. The computer does not need to go through the intermediate step of compiling and interpreting the language.

You must plan carefully as the code runs in an ordered order from beginning to ending. It is crucial to place instructions in the correct order. If a few steps are not in the correct order, the script will not work. Instead, you will see an error in your browser developer console. This is the environment where your code is tested.

It’s like showing someone how to tie their shoelaces. It is impossible to tell someone how to tie their shoes until they have put on the shoes. The instructions for tying the shoes will not be given if you don’t give them the details.

These are the essential JavaScript basics that you should know:

• Common features
• Server-side vs client-side
• Dynamic vs. static
• Basic syntax
• Statements and functions
• Keywords
• Operators, values, operators, and expressions
• Objects, primitives, data types, comments and identifiers
• JavaScript frameworks

Common features

JavaScript offers many standard features. Variables are used to store useful information. Variables can be modified at any moment. You can execute operations on text pieces referred to “strings”, which allow you to manipulate a sequence.

JavaScript can be used to trigger an action in response to an event on a webpage, such as a user clicking on the button.

Server-side vs. client-side

You may be familiar with the terms server-side or client-side code if you work in web design.

Client-side code runs as the user views a web page. The code is downloaded and run on the device. It then displays via the browser. Most of the practice you do when learning JavaScript is client-side programming.

Server-side Code runs on the server. This is the computer that delivers web pages to the browser. The browser displays the results and downloads them. Ruby and Python are two other popular server-side languages.

JavaScript can be used both for client-side and server-side coding.

Dynamic vs. static

Static and dynamic are not just descriptors of engaging or boring web pages. They describe the functionality of JavaScript, HTML and CSS on a website.

A staticwebpage is one that does not change. You only see the page and there is no interaction. For simple pages containing text information and images, you can create static pages with HTML or CSS. You will need to manually rewrite the HTML and CSS layers if you want to make any changes.

A dynamicpage contains interactive elements and animated displays. It can also be responsive to user input. HTML and CSS cannot create a dynamic experience by themselves. JavaScript overlays the HTML and CSS bases to create a web site that does more than sit there.

Basic syntax

Each language has its own syntax. JavaScript has one syntax rule. It is the letter case. JavaScript is case sensitive. lastName, and finalname are two variables. Another example is function, which is a prominent keyword in JavaScript. JavaScript won’t recognize Function and FUNCTION.

Programmers have developed many ways to combine multiple words into one variable name over time. Some programmers use hyphens to separate the words. Some use underscores between terms.

JavaScript programmers use a style called “camel case”, which means that each meaningful term is in a variable begins with a capital letter. JavaScript uses lowercase for the first term. This is evident in the lastName example above.

Functions and statements

A computer program is basically a list or instructions that a computer will execute. The instructions in computer programming are known as statements. A function is a collection of statements that perform tasks and calculate values.

JavaScript statements can be composed of, among others:

• Values
• Operators
• Expressions
• Keywords
• Comment

A line break separates statements. Example:

let x,y;

x = 3.

y = 6

Keywords

Keywordsare tokens with a special meaning for JavaScript. A keyword can be used to identify the action that is to be taken in a statement.

Keywords are considered reserved words and cannot be used to identify variables.

Some examples of keywords are:

• break – Ends a loop/switch
• debugger – Stops JavaScript execution and calls the debugging function, if it is available
• is— This block of statements can be executed for as long as the condition is true
• function — declares a function
• return— exits from a function
• switch – This block of statements can be executed in different cases.
• let — declares a variable

JavaScript is case sensitive. JavaScript will not recognize keywords if you capitalize letters.

Variables, operators, values, and expressions

Variables and fixed values are possible. A literal is a fixed value. Numbers (with decimals or not) and strings are two essential literals. Strings can be text written in double or single quotations.

variables in JavaScript are names or identifiers that you can use to identify values. Variable declarations are used to store data values. JavaScript uses the following keywords to declare variables: let , const and variable.

There are two types of operators. To compute values, arithmetic operators can be used. Take, for example:

(5 + 6) * 10

Assignment operators can be used to assign values for a variable. Take this example:

let x,y

x = 5

y = 6

Expressionsare combinations or variables and operators that produce a value. evaluation is a method of computing. For example, 5 * 10 equals 50. Variable values can also be included in expressions.

Objects , primitives , comments, and identifiers

JavaScript objects are similar to objects in real life. Everything in JavaScript is an object, except primitives which are data types that store simple value. Primitives cannot be changed because they are immutable and hard-coded.

These objects include:

• Dates
• Numbers
• Regular expressions
• Arrays
• Functions
• Objects

Primitives include:

• String
• Number
• Boolean
• Null
• Undefined

Comments are not part of the functional languages. They are ignored by the browser and moved to the next line. Comments can be used to provide documentation that will benefit the person reading the program. Comments can be used to explain variables or help maintain and update the program.

Two slashes are required to create a single-line comment. For multiple lines of comments, you can place the comment between * and */. Example:

// Modify Heading

Or

/* This code will modify the heading with the id= “myH” as well as the paragraph with the id= “myP” on my web page:

Consider the other developers who might be following you when updating and maintaining your code. If something isn’t obvious, give them a hand with comments. If you add comments all the time, it could be a sign that your code is too complicated. You might need to rethink the way you do things.

Identifiersare data types names you can use to refer to them later in code. These are the guidelines for creating them.

• The first character must contain a letter, a ($), dollar sign or an underscore (_ ).
• The characters that follow can be letters or digits.
• JavaScript cannot recognize numbers as the first character, so they are not allowed.

JavaScript is very particular about the letter case when creating identifiers. You don’t have to create two identical identifiers, one in upper and one in lower case.

JavaScript Frameworks

JavaScript frameworks include pre-written JavaScript codes that speed up the development process, and allow for separate responsibilities.

Frameworks can be used to perform repetitive and basic development functions. You can spend more time building the bones than putting the meat on them. This saves time on the more complicated parts of the website.

There are many JavaScript Frameworks, including Vue, React, and Angular.

Although frameworks are essential, it’s better to learn JavaScript before you start using them. You’ll have a hard time understanding JavaScript and your ability to code if you learn it within a framework.

Don’t rush JavaScript lessons or exercises. Before you try any shortcuts, embed the concepts in your brain. Although it may look easy if you follow the example, you must be able call the code directly without any help.

You can use many online resources to practice your skills. You can only master JavaScript skills by repetition and exercises in creating a variety dynamic web pages elements.