I am having trouble understanding Javascript

I am wondering if anyone else here felt the same as I do after starting the Javascript section of the course. The HTML and CSS were very well explained and I think I got it down pretty good. Javascript not so much. I am getting through the exercises but I don’t really fully understand each one. I also am having trouble understand what Javascript does exactly in regards to web development/website building. Thanks!

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In order to fully comprehend JS, you do have to go over the basics. Javascript is almost everywhere in Web development : it is tied with HTML in order to provide a dynamic experience.

Dynamic ? Because it offers a greater experience to the viewer and allows you to personnalize its experience when viewing your website, whereas a static website with no javascript will always give the same result, no matter what.

Javascript also allows you to build applications (both on Web and client side).

It’s only by learning its basics that you will start to fully understand its place in Web development, It will all make sense eventually !

Javascript is indeed harder than the HTML/CSS course, but like most education as you go on that happens. I would supplement your FCC assignments with outside reading. Really understanding the vocabulary helps a lot

That’s because JavaScript is a programming language, while HTML and CSS aren’t.
I recommend you to go through Codeacademy’s Javascript course, it helped me a lot to grasp basics of JS (I did it simultaneously with fcc - they complement each other).

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I would suggest reading the Wikipedia page for JavaScript to get background info on what it’s all about. There is also an ebook titled eloquent JavaScript that will take you from the basics and help deepen your knowledge of JavaScript. I also suggest doing the JavaScript tutorials on mdn(Mozilla developer network). I use codepen.io, or repl.it to practice coding and always do some projects as practice as I learn more. Hope this helps.

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I’m using CodeAcademy’s Java course and going through FCC’s Java section. It is very helpful. I would recommend doing the same.

JavaScript is definitely more challenging than HTML & CSS. However, that is probably because JavaScript is a programming language. You should definitely approach it differently because you can do a lot more with a programming language. Don’t worry if you don’t understand each exercise 100%, or forget some things. You can always reference them later, so just try to get the big picture on the JS exercises. As for the purpose of JS in web dev, it’s what makes web pages dynamic. It can create animations, make user interactions better, replace information on a page dynamically, etc.

As someone who is in the same position as you, I can’t comment on how useful JS will be later on our how important it is, but I can empathize. I’m having a much more difficult time with javascript than I did with the others as well, and I’m excited to be able to check out some of the recommendations above. On a positive note, it’s made me engage in the FCC community more because I’m constantly asking for help on the gitter channel!

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I was getting frustrated trying to make heads or tails out of JavaScript. After reading your post I clicked over to Codeacademy’s JavaScript class. It is such a big help!! So glad I saw your post! I urge ours who find themselves not quite grasping the basics to try using CodeAcademy in conjunction with FCC’s course.

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Are you learning Java or javascript?

Thank you for the awesome resources. Will take a look at them :grin:

Thanks for catching my typo! I corrected it.

I think spamming paid-for courses on a free coding forum is very poor form

If anyone else reads this thread I strongly suggest NOT paying for their “service”

I would start with the following free resources: https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books/blob/master/free-programming-books.md#javascript

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I think threads should automatically close after a month of inactivity, so that users don’t start responding to a question asked 1+ years ago because they didn’t realise how old it was.

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I’m against the thinking that post are dead. Because though he was wrong about it being completely premium it was new info that they went to a partly paid platform.

The courses are still free for the most part. So this was new updated info can be helpful to others who found this post even if it was 3 years later. I’m having trouble understanding JavaScript. And now I’m using Codecademy in conjunction with this site and The Oden Project.

I went through Sololearns JavaScript and don’t feel I learned a thing but the more platforms I go through the better understanding I’m going to have.

This is the same for HTML and CSS. I used to feel the same about them and struggled. Now I could probably do those in my sleep.

I suppose that situation does have merit.

Understanding question is the main thing in exercises. As a learner, what I did mistake is to be in hurry to solve the problem. Now I understand, we need to give more time to understand the question. Pen and Paper is very good idea. Understand the question and trying it to get solution in paper and then coding is really helping me. As for me, I read the book JavaScript for kids, really help me to understand Java Script better.
Cheers!

[gebulmer]
(Profile - gebulmer - The freeCodeCamp Forum) think spamming paid-for courses on a free coding forum is very poor form
(Profile - gebulmer - The freeCodeCamp Forum)If anyone else reads this thread I strongly suggest NOT paying for their “service”
I would start with the following free resources: https://github.com/EbookFoundation/free-programming-books/blob/master/free-programming-books.md#javascript

Holy crap dude thank you!