Tech Education

Why Learn JavaScript First?

Why Learn JavaScript First?Preview: Why Learn JavaScript First?

Are you thinking about learning to code, but are unsure which programming language to learn first?

The very first programming language you learn in the beginning of your coding journey is important. This first language will set the foundation for the skills and additional languages you will learn in the future.

Which languages are trending? What specific skills are employers looking for today? Which languages are easy for a beginner to learn? Ruby? Python? PHP? Java? CSS, JavaScript? Or something else…?!

There are too many options and too many questions, however the most important question is: Which language can teach you enough to give you a good understanding of programming as a whole? You ideally want to be able to understand logic and be exposed to core programming principles which could be applied across all programming languages.

We think it’s JavaScript and here are 5 reasons why!

<1. Get stuck in straight away! />

Why Learn JavaScript First?Preview: Why Learn JavaScript First?

JavaScript is present on this page and every single web page you visit. It is everywhere, making it one of the most common programming languages out there. It's a language that runs in all the web browsers. You can get your hands straight into JavaScript without the ordeal of having spend time setting up complex environments or having to download code editors and compilers (which you would also then need to learn how to use)!

It's a languages you can start to learn by solving puzzles, printing fun comments to the console and along the way discover the core building blocks of the programming world.

<2. Endless supply of resources />

Why Learn JavaScript First?Preview: Why Learn JavaScript First?

Learning JavaScript in 2017 could not be any easier. There is vast amount of online material openly available for anyone to pick up and start learning JavaScript. So - how to learn JavaScript..?

Websites such as freeCodeCamp and Codecademy are a perfect place to start learning instantly. Through these channels you can immediately get chatting with other fellow learners where you can become part of a community and support each other through your learning journey.

There are also sites such as JSBin and Codepen where you can experiment with JavaScript and also see what cool things other people are creating, like this!

There are plenty of resources to get you started and if you are not sure which step to take first - try our free ultimate guide to your first 4 weeks of code.

Also see Harriet’s list of recommended books.

There is also a huge presence on Twitter, YouTube tutorials from Fun Fun Function or The Coding Train, podcasts - CodeNewbie and other online communities like stackoverflow. Lots of interesting inspiring people are eager to teach and help people learn JavaScript. We’ve put together a list of 8 Twitter accounts of JavaScript experts you shouldn’t miss!

<3. Its an all-rounder />

Languages like Java, PHP, Ruby and C# only run on servers. JavaScript runs on servers too - but it’s the ONLY language that also runs in your browser, making it the only language that you can build an entire ‘full-stack’ project in.

<4. It’s fun! />

The sense of challenge is addictive. You may write functions that work straight away, other times the error stopping your code from running may not be so obvious...but when you do find that bug, the victory is well worth the effort!

The JavaScript ecosystem is evolving so fast, JavaScript facilitates you with the option of starting small and building on top by adding libraries to enhance projects where you can do some really fascinating things.

Creating a very basic website is fine without using JavaScript, but if you wanted to have interactive features like audio and video, games, scrolling abilities and page animations, JavaScript provides you with the kit you’ll need to implement them.

JavaScript also boasts the most active developer community so you can never be bored of reading people's code, jokes and feedback!

<5. It makes you very employable />

Why Learn JavaScript First?Preview: Why Learn JavaScript First?

JavaScript is one of the most coveted skills in the developer jobs market. Employers are hungry for JavaScript talent and people who are familiar with JavaScript based technologies.

JavaScript is a versatile language and there are many career paths you can choose to go down by specialising in a certain framework or even through mastering pure JavaScript. The industry is not short of opportunities and for certain, they are booming in the North.

It’s the perfect language to act as a springboard into learning other languages as you’ll already be familiar with the core fundamentals, which is really what employers are seeking in their developers.

Most developer jobs as a junior or senior will require JavaScript skills at some point in their career.

Why wait? Start learning now and fast track your potential career as developer. See where people who have learned JavaScript through us have ended up!