JavaScript Starting Points; Or, Before You Program Your First Hello World

JavaScript’s real name is ECMAScript, and it has nothing to do with the Java programming language.

It is a modern language, meant to deliver modern requirements, in modern environments.

All the other languages claiming to be more powerful, lack everything that delivering results fast, demands.

They just end up re-inventing something that JavaScript already does best, because it is also a massive popular language, getting the most attention.

When someone tells you that JavaScript is a bad start, just tell them, they still need to learn JavaScript, if they want their apps on the web.

Arguments about which languages are best, are called a “language flamewars” and usually turn bitter an useless.

There do exist languages that show more promise if they stay on their path, but that is risky, I’ve memorized several of them, but had to let them go.

Web applications are are always written in JavaScript, as that is the language built into browsers.

To code the server side in a language other than JavaScript, is pretty crazy, the only reason why a programmer would do that is for fun.

To responsibly deliver results, your user interface and server back end, bust be written in the same language.

This uniformity helps with code readability and maintainability, security, automatic code tests, and of course with sharing the same reusable code in browser and on server.

Writing web application means JavaScript, for server, UI, and general sanity.

Heartless corporation can afford to tear applications into pieces, creating a patchwork of multiple languages and environments.

But a real programmer is a poet, they are an artist, and they will do no such thing, because their program will not survive.

And choosing to write cross platform applications in a UI framework, other than electron or nw.js just inexcusable madness.

Operating system applications, ones specific to an operating system, should use whatever their OS offers.

But business applications, meant for multiple operating systems, must use a web browser as base, a web browser is just a powerful framework.

Both Electron and nw.js use chromium under the hood, each have their own personality where electron is more popular.

While I highly recommend you start with simply focusing, on opening an empty window on your desktop.

And then consider creating a WikiWiki note taking application, where AI can help you figure out how to save files.

And there are find plenty of electron tutorials NW.js tutorials, video tutorials.

There are some other starts, such as putting a pixel on a web page, for which the web based p5.js editor may just be the quickest option.

Click, file, examples, and browse a large list of interesting snippets, be sure to hit play to run the program.

p5.js is an environment for learning to code, and making art.

Another thing you can do is take a text based JavaScript tutorial, and create your own index.html

It is how most programmers learned, before JavaScript video tutorials came about.

You can also create executable files, with programs like nexe, or make some Apps with NativeScript but that can get confusing for a simple start.

For more ideas take a look at awesome-javascript awesome lists are just curated collections of things.

You can find awesome-nodejs as well as awesome-electron and a meta awesome-awesome-nodejs that includes many other JavaScript related lists.

Finally my best recommendation, is to just get one paper JavaScript book, with plenty of simple code examples.

It is also good to print out one chapter at a time out of a free PDF, and of course to skip the paper altogether.

But, reading in bed, from within a blanket fort is not optional, a programmer must be safe and sound in a secure castle at all times.

Whichever way you choose, simply trace along the syntax, to both gain a higher understanding, and get your eyes used to the friendly and cheerful, unencumbered, JavaScript syntax.

Eloquent JavaScript has free as a PDF and online version, and You Don't Know JS Yet: Get Started - 2nd Edition comes as a free markdown text version.

As a more snipetty alternative, take a look at, 30 seconds of code as it is full of great ideas, and works just as well as a book.