Is JavaScript a good beginner language?

Question

I am new to programming and I was wondering if JavaScript is a good language to begin with. I've tried Visual Basic and I've been doing scripting with batch files to understand programming logic but I really need to start making functional programs. So, is it a good language to learn?

More info:
I have a basic knowledge of HTML and CSS and I took a few classes on them in high school. I'm now a junior in college this fall perusing an unrelated degree.

Answer 1

Well like any language, it has some strengths and some weaknesses, so it depends what you want it for. Javascript is a very forgiving language; it is weakly typed, involves no memory management, and because it is a scripting language, it can be tested and debugged very easily without having to compile anything. It is also object-oriented, and shares a similar syntax to important compiled languages such as C++, Java and Actionscript. However, it has some downsides as well. It is quite slow compared to compiled languages, its only real use is in browser scripting, it is clientside-only, and in order to make anything of it you have to know at least some basic HTML and CSS. However it sounds like you have this last requirement under your belt already, which is good. As a development environment for Javascript, I write my code in Wordpad and use Firefox (with the Firebug extension installed) for testing, and that works pretty well for me.



So basically, go for Javascript if you want a shallow, leisurely learning curve and don't mind not having access to supreme speed and power. Also, even with all the limitations Javascript has in speed and scope of capability, it does have something special that none of the compiled languages have: eval(), a godlike function that makes your life so sickeningly easy, many 'proper' programmers refuse to use it at all, on the basis that doing so is a bad habit, a sign of weakness, or even downright cheating.

Answer 2

Another option is PHP. This way you can create server-side functionality and access server-side databases. You can download Wampserver and install it on your computer. When it is running you will see the little icon in you system tray. So now you have a webserver running on your computer you can create PHP web-pages! w3schools has a good introductory tutorial but I really recommend "Programming PHP, published by O'Reilly". I'm really not trying to push PHP on you! No actually I am :-) You can even make scripts that run from the command line (I find this very useful for practicing the language). You can just tell when you're learning PHP -- a lot of love went into it's design. It has many surprising and interesting features. A good first project for learning PHP is seeing if you can get a Web-counter running. You don't even have to write the code -- just search Google. This is like the next thing to do after 'hello world'. You see the advantage of PHP? There's no way you're going to be able to do something like that with JavaScript.



The problem with JavaScript is that some people have disabled Javascript on their browser -- so it should only be used for "enhancing" features. Basically a web-page should not break if the user has turned off JavaScript. This can make it a frustrating language to learn.. although it does have it's uses.

Answer 3

you're on the main stunning course. Javascript is substantial and that's the main suitable one to verify and maximum functional with no need complicated. observe that HTML and CSS are not programming. What you're doing in those languages is becoming a portfolio and enhancing the text textile and pictures to look a definite way. the earnings of Javascript is you do no longer desire a compiler hence that's displayed promptly on a browser. the least complicated language to verify is common, yet you will no longer get to be conscious it plenty to something so which you relatively isn't getting to understand for many. common and seen common are as a rule utilized in an workplace placing, like for storing records and such. Do you artwork in an workplace? i do no longer think of you will possibly. the situation with C, C++, and purpose-C is they're very functional, yet in uncomplicated terms once you have taken the main stunning arithmetic classes which includes Discrete math. you could build courses without understanding the maths, yet as quickly as you prefer to create the severe-high quality courses, then you certainly desire some math, and that's not some thing in many cases taught in ok-12, that's college. in an attempt to respond to your question, Javascript little doubt. there is honestly a lot of Javascript classes on line.

Answer 4

well once you know html, then learn javascript, i never even needed css anyway.. so yea its great and easy, html for everything except the javascript for making functions

Answer 5

yes it is.A website that i would reconmend would be lynda.com--they have great tutorials on that stuff.The only drawback is that there isa price.