5 ms·

Ask YC Hackers: What's the best text for learning Javascript?

46 points by pius 19y ago

For a long time I've treated Javascript as a "second class citizen" and eschewed it in favor of Scheme, Java, Ruby, and (lately) Erlang. Now that I'm managing and coding with not just server-side hackers, but hardcore UX hackers as well, I'm realizing that I would like to become a solid Javascript developer as well. What's the best Javascript text for an experienced developer?

pius 19y ago
Interestingly, I just came upon a nice blog entry with several good web-based resources: http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2007/09/09/learning-javascript/ http://www.juixe.com/techknow/index.php/2007/09/09/learning-...
- tokipin 19y ago
  great page, thanks
waleedka 19y ago
I recommend "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide". I read a couple of pages in B&N to see if it was any good, and it paid for itself right there. edit: Get the 5th Edition. See nickb's comment.
- bokonist 19y ago
  +! for "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" Once you have learned javascript, DHTML: The Definitive Reference is a great desktop reference, although it's less important now that javascript libraries are so good.
- marrone 19y ago
  agreed. Also check out 'Pro Javacsript Techniques' by John Resig. Read this article on closures which is the best description I have read of such a crucial crucial aspect of the language: http://jibbering.com/faq/faq_notes/closures.html http://jibbering.com/faq/faq_notes/closures.html Also read Crockford: http://javascript.crockford.com/ http://javascript.crockford.com/
  - altay 19y ago
    John Resig's book is great. (He's the dude behind the jQuery library, and also a YC alum, FYI.) I'd recommend that, and of course the Definitive Guide. Look for the Rhino.
    - marrone 19y ago
      wow, I didnt know Resig was a YC guy.
PStamatiou 19y ago
the rhino book by far.
edw519 19y ago
Rhino book http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Definitive-Guide-David-Flanagan/dp/0596101996/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0699020-3763211?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191174604&sr=8-1 http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Definitive-Guide-David-Flan...
brett 19y ago
There's a lot of good stuff to read on Douglas Crockford's site (http://javascript.crockford.com/ http://javascript.crockford.com/) including a good survey (http://javascript.crockford.com/survey.html http://javascript.crockford.com/survey.html). I would also recommend his series of videos on js (I think they are from internal yahoo presentations). There are 3: "The JavaScript Programming Language" http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111593&fr= http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111593&fr= "Advanced JavaScript" http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111585 http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111585 "Theory of the DOM" http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111582 http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111582
nickb 19y ago
I've asked THE JS MAN himself, Doug Crockford of Yahoo!, what the best book on JS is and he says its: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (5th Edition) by David Flanagan (edition is important... 4th one is not that good). Doug says a bit more about the lack of any good JS books: "Bad Books Nearly all of the books about JavaScript are quite awful. They contain errors, poor examples, and promote bad practices. Important features of the language are often explained poorly, or left out entirely. I have reviewed dozens of JavaScript books, and I can only recommend one: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (5th Edition) by David Flanagan." http://javascript.crockford.com/javascript.html http://javascript.crockford.com/javascript.html Also, make sure you watch his tutorial videos. They're awesome! There is a series of four intro videos and three advanced videos: http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111593 http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111593 http://101out.com/js_advanced.php http://101out.com/js_advanced.php
- dfranke 19y ago
  I own the 4th edition and so far I've been happy with it. What has improved?
  - asb 19y ago
    Straight from the author, what's new in the 5th edition: http://www.davidflanagan.com/blog/2006_08.html#000110 http://www.davidflanagan.com/blog/2006_08.html#000110
- henryw 19y ago
  It got it awhile ago at buy.com $19 w/ GCO. It might be easier to read on paper than PDF. http://www.buy.com/prod/javascript-the-definitive-guide/q/loc/106/202237868.html http://www.buy.com/prod/javascript-the-definitive-guide/q/lo...
fauigerzigerk 19y ago
I always found Mozilla's JavaScript site very helpful: http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/JavaScript http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/JavaScript +1 on Flanagan
nick_a 19y ago
http://eloquentjavascript.net/ http://eloquentjavascript.net/
bdr 19y ago
PPK
kirubakaran 19y ago
"I know a friend" who googled for inurl:javascript.the.definitive.guide filetype:pdf
- seren6ipity 19y ago
  Convey my thanks to "your friend"
- jamongkad 19y ago
  Very nice convey my thanks also.
niels 19y ago
No doubt: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide.
nickmerwin 19y ago
Coming from a Ruby background, Prototype will feel like a logical extension (enumerables and array helpers abound): http://prototypejs.org/api http://prototypejs.org/api Knowing how to wield a library like Prototype or JQuery will increase your javascript speed and efficiency 10 fold!