JavaScript is a lightweight programming language, but it is still one of the most powerful. Its use on the Internet is growing rapidly, and it is very popular among web developers. JavaScript currently has the most active projects on GitHub. For a web developer who wants to remain alive in the world of the Internet, it is important to have the skills to work with JavaScript.
Here is a list of 10 books about JavaScript programming language. They will help you improve your web development skills.
1. Eric Freeman, Elizabeth Robson: Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide
Are you ready to take a step forward in web programming and move from layout in HTML and CSS to creating full-fledged dynamic pages? Then it’s time to get acquainted with the hottest programming language — JavaScript!
With this book about JavaScript, you will learn everything about JavaScript language – from variables to loops. You will understand why different browsers react differently to code and how to write universal code that is supported by all browsers. You will see why with JavaScript code you will never have to worry about page congestion and data transfer errors.
Don’t be alarmed, even if you haven’t written a single line of code before — thanks to the unique presentation format, this book will easily guide you through the entire learning path: from writing the simplest script to creating complex web projects that will work in all modern browsers.
A special feature of this publication is the unique way of presenting the material, which distinguishes the “Head First” series by O’Reilly among many boring books devoted to programming.
2. Chris Minnick, Eva Holland: Coding with JavaScript for Dummies
Since JavaScript is the key programming language of modern websites, it is important to start learning from the right sources from the very start. This work will allow you to quickly, efficiently and with little effort comprehend the use of CSS, working with HTML5 and communicating with online graphics. All topics (setting up the environment, loops, arrays, jQuery, animation, JSON) are accompanied by a test of the knowledge gained online on the publisher’s website.
3. Sufyan bin Uzayr, Nicholas Cloud, Tim Ambler : JavaScript Frameworks for Modern Web Development
If you want to expand your software development skills,this book is just what you need. This book will introduce you both new and well-established libraries and frameworks, such as Angular, VueJS, React, Grunt, Yeoman, RequireJS, Browserify, Knockout, Kraken, Async.js, Underscore, and Lodash.
By reading thic book about JavaScript, you will get detailed analysis and code examples for tools that manage dependencies, structure code in a modular way, automate repetitive build tasks, create specialized servers, structure client applications, facilitate horizontal scaling, and interact with disparate data stores.
4. Douglas Crockford: How JavaScript Works?
A specialist in the field of JS explains the basics and structure of the language in a clear way: names, numbers, logical values, symbols, and so on. All beginners have difficulties with typing – this JavaScript book will help you learn how to avoid them. At the end, you will find an object-oriented approach, programming without classes, and higher-order functions.
5. Ethan Brown: Learning JavaScript: JavaScript Essentials for Modern Application Development
This edition will introduce you to the rules, specifications, and tools used in ES6, based on a practical basis, as well as teach you how to create effective applications on the client side and in Node.js. Here is a partial list of what you will have to deal with in the learning process:
- using ES6 for transcompilation;
- the mechanics of using JavaScript functions;
- objects and object-oriented programming;
- iterators, generators, and proxy objects;
- asynchronous programming;
- js.
The JavaScript book is intended for programmers who have experience with other languages, but are unfamiliar with JavaScript.
6. JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
This is a rare case when the book is intended for programmers, content managers and web designers. The author considers all the necessary basics to start developing simple software. After completing the training, you will be able to create JS scripts and interactive sites, use the jQuery library to simplify code, improve forms, and validate data.
This JavaScript book will teach you how to make websites more interactive, engaging, and user-friendly. A simple visual way of presenting information with clear examples and a small code snippet introduces a new topic on each page. The goal is achieved by combining programming theory with examples that demonstrate the use of JavaScript scripts and the jQuery library on well-known sites. Almost immediately, you will be able to think and create code like a programmer.
7. Bear Bibeault, John Resig, and Josip Maras: Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja
This work is a revised edition with additional information on the following topics: functions, closures, objects, prototypes, and promises. You will learn: DOM, events and timers, best programming practices, testing, and cross-browser code.
Advantages:
- the latest features of the language are considered;
- recommendations on the development practice are given;
- hardcover;
- high-quality translation;
- exercises for self-checking the learned material.
8. Marjin Haverbeke: Eloquent JavaScript
A JavaScript book for beginners that will help you immerse yourself in JavaScript and start creating a product. Among the basic syntactic things, you will find arrow and asynchronous functions, iterators,template strings, and scope. The author’s practical experience, many examples, and training projects will be useful. With increasing complexity, more interesting topics will appear: control structures, data structures, error handling and bug fixing, modularity, and asynchronous programming.
9. Nicholas Zakas: High Performance JavaScript: Build Faster Web Application Interfaces
Almost everyone knows that all the dynamics of the site are built on JS. This dynamic has a minus – slowing down the loading of the page, which is important for a small response of the resource. The JavaScript book will tell you about the techniques and secrets used to eliminate weaknesses that cause performance drawdown. You will learn how to speed up the loading process, how to manipulate the DOM, how to work with the page correctly, and a lot of other useful information. Moreover, this book deals with such concepts as memoization.
10. Luis Atencio: Functional Programming in JavaScript: How to improve your JavaScript programs using functional techniques
Functional programming makes it easier to maintain and support the code, helping to “restore order” in loosely coupled elements and individual components. The author analyzes in detail the ways to improve applications, expand and increase performance. You will learn to understand the difference between imperative, object-oriented, and functional programming approaches through practical examples.
Conclusion
All the JavaScript books mentioned above are suitable for both beginners and experienced JavaScript developers. We hope that our article about JavaScript will be useful to those who have already started learning, and for beginners it will be a leap into the difficult but interesting world of JavaScript.
If you are just starting to learn JavaScript, you will also find useful our article about JavaScript Variables, Data Types, Expressions and Object.
