So let me first tell you my story, how I ended up falling in love with JavaScript. Initially, I started with programming a bit late my major was Electronics in my college days. I was always fascinated by the idea of making apps and websites. Though I didn't have anyone to show me a path. As Everyone What I did was typing "HOW TO MAKE WEBSITE" on google ( biggest mistake for a fresher who wants to learn). After searching first thing I got was the WIX website(still to date it is the same 🙈 ). So thinking this came first on the result so would be the best one. ( This again points to another problem to a whole the way SEO is disrupted from getting actual content, well let's keep it to some other day). So where we were, yes I then created a website in Wix thinking that's how developers do ;).
It was a bit later when I realized that it was a scam :0. Well, I'm not hating WIX but creating a website on Wix and calling yourself a developer is equivalent to saying I hate animal cruelty but I like non-veg a lot. ;)
Coming back to the point my programming journey started with C than C++, Java 🤢 & PHP🤮. I had started learning HTML + CSS along with this. I almost fell in love with python. But it never satisfied me as a programming language. But I stuck with python (still I'm) a lot and I still think python is a great programming language to start with as a fresher due to its readability. When I did an Internship after 4 sem I worked a lot in Python in the field of network automation. Still, I felt I'm missing something in my life. Then a pandemic hit, got a lot of time so started JavaScript and met the love of my life.
The day you think you know everything would be the end of your day fits perfectly with JavaScript. There is a saying that "The more you code the more you will know how much less you know." but how I like to frame it is "The more you code the lesser the time takes to learn more".
But if your thinking that JavaScript is one language that will answer you everything, you might be wrong even I was.😅
There are many questions JavaScript can’t answer. Example If you want to know that whether it is better to confess you're true feelings to your friend (you know what I'm talking about) or to keep waiting until you both turn into skeletons. JavaScript won't be of much help here.
But there is a lot of other things that JavaScript would be delighted to answer. If we ask what is 2 + 2, JavaScript will answer with 4.
console.log(2 + 2) //4
Now before coming to the point on How To Learn JavaScript. I will like to highlight Why to Learn JavaScript.
Web Applications are the present and the future of the constantly evolving digital world. Every single day tons of websites are created with the new interactive feature which only means there would always be a job for a JavaScript developer. It not just limited to Web Applications most startups also few MNCs are creating the mobile app using JavaScript.(using React-Native ) Applications like Whatsapp, Instagram are built with JavaScript libraries.
Now coming to how to learn JavaScript, Well there are some prerequisites you must know the basics of HTML + CSS. Both of these are easy to learn. There is a lot of free content available already well you can refer to this FreeCodeCamp HTML+CSS
Well, can use any IDE or notepad or any code editor to write JavaScript code. My choice will be Visual Studio Code. There is no language that VS Code doesn't support. It's a free and open-source project and with tons of extensions that will make your life a lot easier when writing the code.
For learning JavaScript there is a lot of free and paid courses available. If you like reading books (if you don't then make it a habit) then this will definitely help you to build strong fundamentals Eloquent Javascript.
There are plenty of paid courses available but I will be only highlighting the free ones. I firmly believe knowledge should always be free for freshers once you start making some money you can opt to paid courses. No offense it will always be your call on how to learn and what to learn. But I don't want others to make the same mistake that I made.
A few of the free courses and mentors which I followed to learn are as follow.
Start programing with JavaScript - Tanay Pratap
JavaScript Course - Histesh Choudary
JavaScript Tutorial for Beginners - Mosh Hamedini
Wrapping up
JavaScript is the King of web applications and it will be for at least the coming decades. If you want to master it then there is no shortcuts only thing you have to do is keep practicing. You may think this is lame everyone tells what's the difference. But trust me no one does it. That's why you will see only a few people getting hold of it. Invest in yourself. The best return you will get is by holding it for the long term. Practice is the key to learning JavaScript.
The Best way to learn JavaScript is to learn by yourself.
Happy Coding.🙌