JavaScript Books Review 2023

Xah JavaScript in Depth

First, here's mine.

• JavaScript in Depth

I've written many programing language tutorials. This one, i'm most proud of. In correctness and in depth.

i'm more well known for my Xah Emacs Tutorial and Practical Emacs Lisp tutorial.

JavaScript The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan. 2011, 2020.

• JavaScript The Definitive Guide by David Flanagan. 2011, 2020.

How JavaScript Works, 2018, by Douglas Crockford

• How JavaScript Works
• 2018-10-18
• By Douglas Crockford.
• Buy at amazon

Exploring JavaScript, 2018

• • Exploring ES6
  • 2023-01-06
  • By Dr Axel Rauschmayer.
  • http://exploringjs.com/

He writes a series of books. Speaking JavaScript covers JavaScript basics, and a new thick book Exploring ES6 on ES2015, and little books on ES2016, and onwards.

Of all JavaScript book/references i've read for ES2015+, i like his best, because it's in depth.

Though, often too wordy, and takes lots time to read through.

It is best if you already have one year of JavaScript coding experience.

Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs, JavaScript Edition

This is not really a tutorial of JavaScript, but a high level understanding of computer program. It uses JavaScript to teach, and especially good for focusing on learning about functional programing with JavaScript.

• Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs (SICP), Scheme LISP, JavaScript

Eloquent JavaScript

• Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming 3rd Edition
• 2018-12-04
• By Marijn Haverbeke.
• Buy at amazon

also available free at http://eloquentjavascript.net/

This is for people who never programed before. And written in a elaborate story-telling style.

MDN (Mozilla) JavaScript Tutorial

• Mozilla mdn's JavaScript tutorial is BAD. Often misleading and incorrect. Confusing, incoherent, inconsistent, lots use of unnecessary jargons. sometimes downright incorrect.
• But best JavaScript reference on latest changes and browser support.

Mozilla's JavaScript tutorials are wiki. Meaning, it's written by any user. It has versions since 2005 or so. The content changes over the decade, also the site has gone several re-organizations (with URL changing).

Mozilla's references on {HTML, CSS, DOM, JavaScript} are often the best. Usually, they have the most up-to-date info with respect to browsers, available nowhere else.

w3schools, tutorialpoint, javatpoint, etc

There are tremendous amount of JavaScript tutorials, typically the first page's search result. These are the worst. they are for beginners, on a how-to basis. Often misleading and incorrect.

They just present the most simple answers for most common case scenarios, for absolute beginners who don't know what they are doing.

Sometimes, these can help you find out what's the real basics on complex web tech, because professional programer's tutorials often have too many unnecessary jargons and pedantic.

JavaScript: the Good Parts, 2008

• JavaScript the Good Parts, Douglas Crockford. 2008

Nicholas C Zakas, Professional JavaScript for Web Developers, 2012

• Professional JavaScript for Web Developers, 2012, by Nicholas C Zakas