JavaScript as your first programming language
Tags: javascript, beginners, programming, webdev
Published: 2023-01-15 08:02:59

If you are a beginner in programming and you don't know where to start from then JavaScript is "**THE LANGUAGE**" for you.

## WHAT IS JAVASCRIPT ?
If we go to the formal definition of JavaScript provided by [MDN-Web-Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript#:~:text=JavaScript%20(JS)%20is%20a%20lightweight,Apache%20CouchDB%20and%20Adobe%20Acrobat.) JavaScript (JS) is a lightweight, interpreted, or just-in-time compiled programming language with first-class functions.
Many beginners think that JavaScript is only useful for developing web-pages but they are wrong. I'll explain how further in this blog.

![JavaScript Showcase Image](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/qp69h1ybu26kw3xwj66v.jpg)

## WHY JAVASCRIPT ?
JavaScript came into existence around 27 years ago, and since then it has gone through number of improvements. And according to a survey done by **GitHub** JavaScript has been #1 choice for developers since years.

**photo taken from [octoverse.github.com](https://octoverse.github.com/2022/top-programming-languages)**

![Image showing popularity of various programming languages among developers](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/a2xryy37hqvo5idtavaf.png)

If you asked me the same question that which programming language to start with 10-13 years ago, before the existence of [Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/), I must've given a different answer but the improvements that JavaScript got after the entry of **Node.js** changed my mind completely.

## JAVASCRIPT vs. OTHER LANGUAGES 🔥🔥
After the entry of Node.js JavaScript has became very much powerful. Now you can perform any kind of task that any other programming language ( say C, C++, Java, Python) can do. And it also has a large amount of additional features that other languages are not able to perform that easily.

![Showcase image for Node.js](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/908uyggxjznwf4w2sg4w.png)
**Node.js** made JavaScript usable even outside the browsers hence made it possible to perform some of the complex tasks like **Machine Learning** and **DSA** easier to perform in JavaScript.

## POWER OF JAVASCRIPT 💪🏻
At current stage JavaScript is capable of performing various complex tasks very easily as compared to other languages.
**THE FLEXIBILITY OF JAVASCRIPT**
JavaScript can perform all the following tasks very well.

- Web Development
- Application Development (IOS & Android)
- Computer Application Development(for Windows, MacOS and Linux)
- Machine Learning (see [TensorFlow.js](https://www.tensorflow.org/js))
- VR & AR Development (see [Three.js](https://threejs.org/), [AR.js](https://ar-js-org.github.io/AR.js-Docs/))

**This must've explained that JavaScript is way more powerful than just creating web pages 😄**

## BENEFITS OF LEARNING JAVASCRIPT
Following are some of the major benefits of learning JavaScript

- If you are learning JavaScript then you don't need to learn any other language for any other purpose.
- You can learn and create bigger projects at the same time.
- There is a very huge demand in the tech industry for JavaScript developers and the supply is very sort so it will bring great opportunities to you.
- JavaScript has a huge community of experienced and passionate programmers which means a huge support
- JavaScript will further improve with time and it will become more powerful

## RESOURCES TO LEARN JAVASCRIPT
There are various free and paid resources to learn JavaScript both online and offline.
**FREE ONLINE COURSES TO LEARN JAVASCRIPT**

- [JavaScript Tutorials for Beginners in Hindi (By-Code With Harry](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLu0W_9lII9ahR1blWXxgSlL4y9iQBnLpR&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE)
- [JavaScript Tutorial for Beginners - Full Course in 12 Hours 2022 (By-Clever Programmer](https://youtube.com/watch?v=lI1ae4REbFM&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE)
- [JavaScript Programming - Full Course (By-Free Code Camp)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=jS4aFq5-91M&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE)

**Must Consider**: You Don't Know JS series by Kyle Simpson

1. Offline Books : [oreilly.com](https://www.oreilly.com/search/?q=you+dont+know+js&type=article&type=book&type=journal)
2. Online Articles: [GitHub](https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS) 

Thank You for learning this this article. Please like if you found it useful 😄😄