Picked this up from the library before doing any of the api projects and it was a huge help.
Also looked at this one after it was recommended by Derek Sivers. I am sure a lot of people came to Free Code Camp through his recommendation as well.
Can confirm that Head First books are generally pretty silly, but I managed to pick up a lot from them because they make you work through a variety of exercises, and at least try to make it as exciting as it can be.
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“Learning javascript, 3rd edition”. It focuses on ES6 and the writing is perfect for me, there are no buzz words like “code ninja” and equivalent. So far it seems to also use gump and react, but i’ve yet to use those.
I am reading “The Pragmatic Programmer” at the moment.
I decided that I will not learn syntax from books.
Instead, I will use books to learn about near-programming topics or for reference only once I know the language well enough. There are very few books that teach fundamentals in a fun way and also provide a good depth of information. It seems to me that programming is a lot about the organization and managing complexity. Blogs can be too slim or scattered on those topics, so books do well.
I only just started the book, and so there is no code yet. What I hated about Clean Code, for example, was that it required knowledge of Java. Books about high-level concepts should be language-agnostic.
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Currently reading Eloquent JS with side help from the annotated version someone made, then I figure I’ll move on to Programming Javascript Applications while I work on FCC stuff and all of my (generally terrible) random side projects… The code in them might be awful, but there is no substitute for learning by doing, especially with all of the ever changing frameworks and libraries out there.
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That’s a good book.Very beginner friendly and helpful.
Just be aware that I found his Javascript book wasn’t of the same quality, so you may want to give it a quick read in store if you are thinking of buying it.
Are you able to link to this annotated version? I’m reading through Eloquent JS at the moment, and somethings aren’t as clear as I’d like them to be.
I’m going thru Realm of Racket learning the racket language.
Racket is a full-spectrum programming language. It goes beyond Lisp and Scheme with dialects that support objects, types, laziness, and more. Racket enables programmers to link components written in different dialects, and it empowers programmers to create new, project-specific dialects. Racket’s libraries support applications from web servers and databases to GUIs and charts.
Next up:
HTDP: How to Design Programs
SICP: Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs
CTM: Concepts, Techniques, and Models of Computer Programming
I’m currently making my way through the book Soft Skills: The Software Developer’s Life Manual by John Sonmez. It’s not exactly a “learn to program” book as much as it’s a “how to live an efficient lifestyle suitable for a programmer” book with tons of little nuggets of useful information in a short-chapter format. I’ve picked up several useful tips from the “Learning” and “Productivity” sections especially that I’ll be implementing moving forward.
Additionally, I’m working on the book Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold which is a bit denser but provides a great foundation to understanding how computers work using easy-to-understand language. Highly recommended.
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Thank you @prashcr and @pompan129. I found the first one there at github. I guess when I read Up & Going, and it said at the end that the next ones were available at O’reilly, I didn’t think to look again at GitHub. Thanks again!
Is there a free copy for this book online?
I am currently loving The Little Schemer, which is the best way I’ve ever seen to really grok the concept of recursion and learn recursive thinking.
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Which free JS book do you recommend for beginners?
I’m reading “Head first Android Development”, and I’ll be reading more of this “Head first” series, for sure
Hi @muhsingenius - I found this Quora post really helpful for guidance. Quora’s Javascript Reading Suggestions 
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The recursion is exactly why I wanted to learn some lisp/scheme/racket.
I thought the Elqeunt Js is for beginners as the start of the book spoke about “What is programming?” and stuff. Just started reading the book. Like @siraustin said, even I learned some basic stuff in Js, and other Web Technologies from a few sites and have done a few projects. And I am currently doing Free Code Camp course and challenges too. So, is it okay for people like me to read the book ?
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Just read it to the point where you have trouble understanding. Put it down, do/ read something else, and then come back to it. If it makes sense, keep reading, otherwise just keep repeating that.
It always helps to diversify your learning, because no one method is the best.
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