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

[pius]

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?

[nickb]

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

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://101out.com/js_advanced.php

[henryw → nickb]

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/lo...

[dfranke → nickb]

I own the 4th edition and so far I've been happy with it. What has improved?

[asb → dfranke]

Straight from the author, what's new in the 5th edition: http://www.davidflanagan.com/blog/2006_08.html#000110

[brett]

There's a lot of good stuff to read on Douglas Crockford's site (http://javascript.crockford.com/) including a good survey (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=

"Advanced JavaScript" http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111585

"Theory of the DOM" http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=111582

[kirubakaran]

"I know a friend" who googled for inurl:javascript.the.definitive.guide filetype:pdf

[seren6ipity → kirubakaran]

Convey my thanks to "your friend"

[jamongkad → kirubakaran]

Very nice convey my thanks also.

[fauigerzigerk]

I always found Mozilla's JavaScript site very helpful: http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/JavaScript

+1 on Flanagan

[waleedka]

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.

[marrone → waleedka]

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

Also read Crockford: http://javascript.crockford.com/

[altay → marrone]

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 → altay]

wow, I didnt know Resig was a YC guy.

[bokonist → waleedka]

+! 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.

[pius]

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-...

[tokipin → pius]

great page, thanks

[nickmerwin]

Coming from a Ruby background, Prototype will feel like a logical extension (enumerables and array helpers abound):

http://prototypejs.org/api

Knowing how to wield a library like Prototype or JQuery will increase your javascript speed and efficiency 10 fold!

[edw519]

Rhino book

http://www.amazon.com/JavaScript-Definitive-Guide-David-Flan...

[nick_a]

http://eloquentjavascript.net/

[bdr]

PPK

[niels]

No doubt: JavaScript: The Definitive Guide.

[PStamatiou]

the rhino book by far.