Essentials for Getting started in JavaScript - A list of helpful resources for a JavaScript beginner.
Published: 2017-10-02 22:01:03

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title: Essentials for Getting started in JavaScript - A list of helpful resources for a JavaScript beginner.
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I'm pretty new to programming and not great with JavaScript, so I'm going to learn it in the open in this series, titled 'JavaScript Zero'. Today, we are going to start the series with some helpful resources for a JavaScript beginner. 

There are a ton of massive lists of helpful resources to get started in JavaScript. Which is great, I actually link to one in this article. However, this is a list of resources that I have found particularly very helpful in my path to learning JavaScript. I have only included resources that I have directly used, and would recommend to my close friends wanting to learn JavaScript. 

[An Introduction to JavaScript](https://javascript.info/intro) - A brief overview of what JavaScript is and how it works. It also dives into what Javascript can do, can’t do, and what makes JavaScript unique. 

[Build a Number Guessing Game](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/JavaScript/First_steps/A_first_splash) - The best way to start getting familiar with JavaScript is writing it. So, go follow along with this Mozilla created tutorial, ‘A first splash into JavaScript’. [MDN (Mozilla Developer Network) has very good documentation for learning JavaScript](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/JavaScript), so please get comfortable with this site.  

[FreeCodeCamp](https://www.freecodecamp.org/) - A great resource for getting familiar with JavaScript. Covers all sides of the JavaScript spectrum from basics to advanced JavaScript topics to JS frameworks like React. [FreeCodeCamp’s youtube page](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8butISFwT-Wl7EV0hUK0BQ) is also very active. I would recommend watching [Beau Carnes JavaScript Basics playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWKjhJtqVAbk2qRZtWSzCIN38JC_NdhW5). [FreeCodeCamp’s medium publication](https://medium.freecodecamp.org/) has helpful JavaScript news and tutorials as well.

[CodeWars](https://www.codewars.com) - Once you start getting comfortable with basic JavaScript start challenging yourself with CodeWars. CodeWars is a fun way to start using your problem solving skills with JavaScript. CodeWars calls each challenge a ‘kata’ and ranks them from 8 to 1. The most difficult being 1.

[Node School](https://nodeschool.io/) - Node School is a great way to start learning JavaScript. I started going through the first tutorial I was recommended called [Javascripting](https://github.com/workshopper/javascripting). It’s nice because this tutorial starts out extremely simple. This is a beginner friendly tutorial. However, if you have toyed with JavaScript for a while, Node School can still be a useful tool for you --at least it has been for me. After you get through Node School take a look at this [massive list of resources to help learn Node.](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2353818/how-do-i-get-started-with-node-js)

Something JavaScript can offer is closures. Simply put, a closure is when an inner function can access its enclosed function variables. At first, closures will be confusing. So, here are a couple of good resources to become more comfortable with Closures in JavaScript. 

- [Understand Closures in JavaScript](https://codeburst.io/understand-closures-in-javascript-d07852fa51e7)

- [Understand JavaScript Closures With Ease](http://javascriptissexy.com/understand-javascript-closures-with-ease/)

- [JavaScript Closures (MDN)](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Closures)


Another thing easy to misunderstand at the beginning are Promises: Here is a great tool for learning about Promises:

- [JavaScript Promises: an Introduction](https://developers.google.com/web/fundamentals/primers/promises)

- [Understanding Promises](https://scotch.io/tutorials/javascript-promises-for-dummies)


[You Don’t Know JS](https://github.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS) - A six book series by Kyle Simpson on getting familiar with key concepts in JavaScript. [Simpson also has a book on FP in JavaScript.](https://github.com/getify/Functional-Light-JS)

[Watch and Code](https://watchandcode.com/) - Practical JavaScript is a great course to get familiar with JavaScript while building a simple practice application. If other beginner resources haven’t clicked, I recommend giving this course a go. 

What resources have you found helpful for beginners learning JavaScript?

Originally posted on [www.DailyDrip.com](https://www.dailydrip.com/blog/essentials-for-getting-started-in-javascript-a-list-of-helpful-resources-for-a-javascript-beginner)