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JavaScript is a programming language that is being used widely today. It allows a GUI for users and developers and hence, is proven to be a highly efficient programming language. JavaScript is most commonly used for web development, program development, security purposes, and game development.
Overall, the syntax and arrays of Java are not that hard to understand if you are familiar with any other programming languages and you can easily make a switch. For those who are new to programming languages and want to get hold of Java, it might take some time to understand the fundamentals of programming and how programming languages work.
What are the Best JavaScript Books to read?
Java is recommended as the best programming language for those out there who are considered beginners and want to start somewhere. There are a number of books available that are easy to understand and provide you with the perfect opportunity to learn programming languages such as JavaScript and others to increase your skills and ace the language.
Different applications of JavaScript in the practical field may need you to cover different books. These books will help you look into the different perspectives that are being offered and how you can master your skills up to the par. This will make it possible for you to utilize your skills and make them grow accordingly.
The following are some of the top JavaScript books that you can buy according to your needs and study them if you are looking to grow your Java skills. There are some of the books that are highly efficient for beginners and can help them get a good command over the language.
Best JavaScript Books: Our Top 20 Picks
Here are some of the best JavaScript books that you can consider to expand your knowledge on the subject:
1. A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript. The new tech-assisted approach that requires half the effort
This book is written by Mark Myers and is about focusing more on the problems that are faced by the programmers when it comes to learning JavaScript and being able to use it effectively. The pace of this book is slow, and there are online exercises at the end of every chapter, making it easier for you to test your knowledge and differentiate between what you think you know, and what you actually know.
The book understands and focuses on problems like retaining the knowledge you have read, comprehending it properly and, being able to use it effectively in the practical field. All these features combined make it one of the best books that you can read to learn JavaScript efficiently and in a fun way. The moto is to practice more and read less, so you can sink in the coding easily and test it through online algorithms.
- Authors: Mark Myers (Author)
- Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st Edition (March 20, 2014)
- Pages: 254 pages
2. JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
Reading texts in black and white can make the learning process dry and boring. It is hard to remember all that you have read in the book, and that is not acceptable while learning a programming language. This book is the right solution to all those who are fed up with boring books and want to learn JavaScript in an interactive way.
Written by Jon Duckett, a renowned developer, and JavaScript expert. This book is about making things interesting and defining Basic Programming concepts, Core elements of the JavaScript Language, jQuery, and its applications, and how to recreate the techniques using Java Script that you have seen on other websites.
The book is a perfect solution for all those who want to get hold of basic programming techniques and effectively develop dynamic websites using JavaScript.
- Authors: Jon Duckett (Author)
- Publisher: Wiley; 1st Edition (June 30, 2014)
- Pages: 640 pages
3. JavaScript: The Good Parts: The Good Parts
JavaScript is believed to be released in a hurry by developers and there are a number of theories about flaws and errors in the language. However, there are two sides to each coin and JavaScript does have its fair share of good things as well.
Douglas Crockford is one of the renowned programmers who is famous for his solution-oriented approach towards problems and that makes him write this book with the good parts of JavaScript and how it has changed the web-development for programmers. In this book, he has elaboratively explained the possibilities and all the applications of JavaScript. There are lots of powerful features and functions beheld by JavaScript that makes it one of the most powerful language of an era for web-based application developers. He insists that JavaScript has evolved the present and future of dynamic websites like nothing else could.
- Authors: Douglas Crockford (Author)
- Publisher: O’Reilly Media; 1st Edition (May 1, 2008)
- Pages: 176 pages
4. Learn JavaScript VISUALLY with Interactive Exercises: The Beautiful New Way to Learn a Programming Language
For all those who think programming books are boring and they cannot help them understand the basics of programming languages. This is the perfect book to get all the knowledge required regarding JavaScript and programming fundamentals.
The book is written by Ivelin Demirov who strongly advocates the visual learning techniques and signifies how efficient they can be when it comes to learning programming. The book is a visual representation of compilation, testing, and execution of the programs and applications development using JavaScript making it easier to understand for all those who are looking to understand it in a fun way rather than reading the words. Visual learning makes it easier for you to understand the programming and fundamentals of JavaScript easily.
- Authors: Ivelin Demirov (Author)
- Publisher: Ivelin Demirov; 3rd Edition (June 27, 2014)
- Pages: 116 pages
5. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide: Activate Your Web Pages (Definitive Guides)
The Definitive Guide is a series of several books that have programming language guide for all the beginners and programmers. This book is considered the bible for JavaScript Programmers. The book was first published in 1996, written by David Flanagan.
The 6th and latest edition of this book contain HTML5 and ECMAScript 5. This guide is mainly focused on websites and making them dynamic, in compliance with jQuery and server-side JavaScript. The book is equally good for beginners and current JavaScript programmers who want to excel in the field and master the command over JavaScript programming. The book is endorsed by various well-known programmers and you must read it, no matter what stage of programming you are at, to perfect your command over the skills.
- Authors: David Flanagan (Author)
- Publisher: O’Reilly Media; 6th Edition (May 13, 2011)
- Pages: 1096 pages
6. Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide
This book covers everything from the fundamentals to advanced topics like functions, arrays, objects and more. It presents the concepts in a fun way to make the learning process easy to sink for you. The process is easy to understand and makes the learning process fun by games, puzzles, mysteries and much more.
Written by Eric Freeman, and Elisabeth Robson the book is the perfect way to get hold of Java Programming and JavaScript as it allows you access to inner details, how JavaScript works with browsers, use of arrays, the power of functions, working with objects, understanding closures and testing applications. This is a multi-sensory learning experience that focuses on both concepts and practice and while having fun, you can understand the fundamentals and effective applications of JavaScript.
- Authors: Eric Freeman (Author), Elisabeth Robson (Author)
- Publisher: O’Reilly Media; 1st Edition (April 10, 2014)
- Pages: 704 pages
7. The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript
Object-Oriented Programming, most commonly known as OOP is considered the most complex part of any programming language that is not easy to master. JavaScript being the web component-based language might seem to be not object-oriented at all. However, it is not entirely true.
JavaScript is as powerful and efficient as any other programming language and you can use expressions similar to any other object-oriented language in JavaScript. Written by Nicholas C. Zikas, this book is the right elaboration on the principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript. The book allows you to dive deep into the powerful side of JavaScript and learn how can you use it efficiently for your programs.
- Authors: Nicholas C. Zakas (Author)
- Publisher: No Starch Press; 1st Edition (February 14, 2014)
- Pages: 120 pages
8. Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming
This third edition is best selling one, as it focuses on writing real applications using JavaScript. The book has a lot to offer like theories and basic concepts for beginners and complex, yet flexible programming tricks and tips to write full-scale applications.
Written by Marjin Haverbeke, this book lets you dive deep into the concepts and power of JavaScript. After reading it, you will not only be able to understand the concepts and powers of arrays, functions, and objects but will also have a clear idea about their functioning and implementation. The book has a lot more to offer like Syntax, control, and data. The book also comes with free source code that you can edit and run to test your skills and knowledge of the language.
- Authors: Marijn Haverbeke (Author)
- Publisher: No Starch Press; Illustrated Edition (December 4, 2018)
- Pages: 472 pages
9. Murach’s JavaScript and jQuery (3rd Edition)
JavaScript and jQuery are being used on every website in the modern days and it is hard to find a website on the internet that does not have a share of JavaScript in one way or another. From small sites to the most major commercial sites, like Google, Facebook and Twitter have their server-side or front-end coding have a share of JavaScript.
This book by Zak Ruvalcaba, Mary Delamater, Anne Boehm, and Mike Murach (Editor) presents the version of JavaScript that is required by each developer to be able to efficiently develop the websites. The version of jQuery and JavaScript skills that are required to develop Plug-ins, widgets, carousels and other web-based applications is explained in the most comprehensible way in this book.
- Authors: Zak Ruvalcaba (Author), Mary Delamater (Author), Anne Boehm (Editor), Mike Murach (Editor)
- Publisher: Mike Murach & Associates; 3rd Edition (February 17, 2017)
- Pages: 620 pages
10. Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja
The website is a universal platform and ever-evolving technologies make it a complex job to stay in the competition and being able to develop the right dynamic website. There is a wide range of web-based applications that are powered by JavaScript, contributing towards the dynamic websites and interactive web interface.
This is a comprehensive guide written by John Resig, Bear Bibeault, Josip Maras, and Derek Lettman that lets you dive deep into the secrets behind core programs and techniques being used in JavaScript. The book contains some stealthy, highly efficient and proactive techniques and tricks that you can learn to make your code stand-out.
- Authors: John Resig (Author), Bear Bibeault (Author), Josip Maras (Author)
- Publisher: Manning Publications; 2nd Edition (September 10, 2016)
- Pages: 464 pages
11. JavaScript: JavaScript Programming.A Step-by-Step Guide for Absolute Beginners
Brian Jenkins is one of the most well-known names in the world of programming languages. He presents a professional version of JavaScript making it easier to understand for all those who want to pursue a development career in Java Script.
The book is a perfect fit for beginners who want to learn JavaScript as a professional. The book will allow you to learn the fundamentals of programming languages like Building blocks, operators, types, variables, loops, functions, and arrays. Different chapters in the book make it easier to understand for beginners and those who are new to programming languages. The author has targeted people like beginners to JavaScript programming, those who are looking to advance their skills in JavaScript, and Professors & students to explain and understand the language in a better way.
- Authors: Brian Jenkins (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (April 14, 2019)
- Pages: 254 pages
12. JavaScript Absolute Beginner’s Guide
Java Script is a fantastic language to step-in the programming world and learns the fundamentals of programming languages. While some may think it a bit advanced for beginners, this book is the right evidence that beginners can easily start their programming career with JavaScript.
Written by Kirupa Chinnathambi, the book is a perfect read for all those who are naïve to programming languages and JavaScript. The book starts with what makes JavaScript awesome and how you can possibly utilize your knowledge or JavaScript into dynamic websites. The website has a lot more to offer on JavaScript and covers an extensive list of objectives like understanding loops and their applications, switch statements. The book is spread over four parts with important objectives to take a beginner to advance the level of JavaScript.
- Authors: Kirupa Chinnathambi (Author)
- Publisher: Que Publishing; 1st Edition (July 18, 2016)
- Pages: 416 pages
13. JavaScript Grammar
Greg Sidelnikov is a renowned programmer and JavaScript expert who has written a number of books on fundamentals and starting to learn JavaScript as a programming language for beginners. While other books are focused on the functioning, compilation, and execution of the programs. This book is about learning the syntax behind these.
JavaScript has an easy to follow the syntax. Yet, it gets hard to understand for the beginners at times. This book is a comprehensive summary for understanding the right syntax for JavaScript and how you can effectively use it for loops, and OOP. The book covers all important features of modern-day JavaScript and is equally beneficial for beginners to advance level programmers. The book has hundreds of source code examples and visual diagrams to effectively understand the concepts of JavaScript.
- Authors: Greg Sidelnikov (Author)
- Publisher: Independently published (March 21, 2019)
- Pages: 284 pages
14. The Past, Present, and Future of JavaScript
Dr. Axel Rauschamayer is a critical analytic who likes to look into the deeper version of things and believes that only the surface is not enough to have an opinion about something. The same phenomena are applied to JavaScript and despite its hasty release, the language has grown even beyond the expectations of the author and is believed to be the most powerful language that is being widely used in all major website development.
The book is a deep insight into the past of JavaScript and the journey it has covered to be the most widely used programming language across the world for dynamic web-based applications. He believes that it is not all, and the language beholds a future that is not yet imaginable. While other languages have had their boom and are replaced by other languages. JavaScript has a lot more to see and the future is bright for JavaScript.
15. Coding with JavaScript For Dummies (For Dummies Series)
If you have practically no experience with JavaScript and want to learn the language quickly, this is the perfect guide for you. The book provides easy, hands-on instructions for anyone who truly wants to learn this popular client-side language.
JavaScript is popular for turning static websites to dynamic ones by developing an interactive and immersive GUI based application interface. This book was written by Chris Minnick, and Eva Holland is the right guide for all the beginners who want to step-up from a beginner to builder quickly and efficiently. The book has interactive techniques to make your website dynamic and alluring for visitors through JavaScript. After completing this book, you will be able to build interactive web elements and web-based applications.
- Authors: Chris Minnick (Author), Eva Holland (Author)
- Publisher: For Dummies; 1st Edition (May 26, 2015)
- Pages: 368 pages
16. Beginning JavaScript
Beginning JavaScript is a complete descriptive guide to effectively learn to program through JavaScript and being able to efficiently program. The book is 5th edition to a series of JavaScript guides that allow you a deep insight into effectively using JavaScript for a web-based application.
Written by Jeremy McPeak, this book contains all the information and guidance required on most up-to-date coding styles and get yourself familiar with all the innovations and developments that are being adopted by JavaScript. The book features, modern coding practices including HTML5, JSON data format, DOM APIs, jQuery Framework, functions, events, arrays, and much more.
- Authors: Jeremy McPeak (Author)
- Publisher: Wrox; 5th Edition (March 9, 2015)
- Pages: 768 pages
17. Professional JavaScript for Web Developers
Professional JavaScript for web developers is the step-up game for all those who want to increase their knowledge and efficiency of their skills using JavaScript. The learning never ends and there are always some professional tricks and techniques that you can use to create dynamic websites that are unique in every possible way and make the website stand-out.
Written by Matt Frisbie, this is the right book for you if you are familiar with the basics of JavaScript and learn new skills and techniques. The book has all you need to get yourself acquainted with the classes, symbols, models, and concepts like DOM, BOM, events, forms, and animation through Java. This is simply a perfect way to improve the way you work and bring innovation to your development techniques.
- Authors: Matt Frisbie (Author)
- Publisher: Wrox; 4th Edition (October 15, 2019)
- Pages: 1200 pages
18. JavaScript Cookbook: Programming the Web
JavaScript is being developed ever since it was released and new innovations and additions to the language make it trickier to understand and solve the problems efficiently. This cookbook is the right way to find your way around any problems you might face and code accurately.
The book is focused on helping the people who have experience with JavaScript, to effectively teach them a presentable version of problems and guide them through a solution-oriented strategy to be able to solve the problems. There is an elaborative explanation on all the arrays, functions, user-interface, testing and accessibility. Once you read this book, you can efficiently solve any problems that you might be facing in your code execution and solve them efficiently.
- Authors: Shelley Powers (Author)
- Publisher: O’Reilly Media; 2nd Edition (February 17, 2015)
- Pages: 634 pages
19. JavaScript: Programming Basics for Absolute Beginners (Step-By-Step JavaScript Book 1)
There are a lot of myths and doubts about JavaScript being hard to understand language. The fact is, it is simpler than most programming languages and holds more power that allows you to write complex applications that power up a dynamic website.
Written by Nathan Clark, this book is made for beginners and allows them to learn the basics of JavaScript easily using 106 practical examples. The book takes the beginners from the introduction of the language to the possibilities that can be programmed using JavaScript. There are several key-topics included in the bookmaking the learning process easier and smoother for all the readers.
- Authors: Nathan Clark (Author)
- Publisher: Nathan Clark (August 13, 2017)
- Pages: 153 pages
20. Rediscovering JavaScript: Master ES6, ES7, and ES8
JavaScript is one of the most misunderstood languages and programmers used to loathe it from afar. There were a lot of myths and misconceptions about the language that kept developers far from it for a long period. However, things are changing now and programmers have started to realize the power and efficiency beheld by JavaScript.
JavaScript has grown to be more popular than even the expectations of the author of the language. Venkat Subramaniam describes in this book how JavaScript is misunderstood and how you can get yourself acquainted with one of the most popular and powerful programming languages of the era. The book has all the guidance required for both front-end and server-side developers to efficiently use JavaScript.
- Authors: Venkat Subramaniam (Author)
- Publisher: Pragmatic Bookshelf; 1st Edition (June 26, 2018)
- Pages: 288 pages
Choosing the Best JavaScript Books
JavaScript is being widely used across the world for most major websites and it has evolved the website development. Static websites are being converted into Dynamic ones with the help of JavaScript. The language itself is believed to be a complex language that is hard to master and with its own errors and flaws.
However, there are thousands of developers effectively using JavaScript for their websites and if you are looking to have proficient command over JavaScript. You can go through the critical reviews presented about each book and choose the right book that suits your needs and requirements best.