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Re: Searching for a book that helps introduce JavaScript or Java Programming?

 

JavaScript, particularly front-end JS, is a tyre fire. I've been a
part of the JS community since 2010. Common usage is driven by fashion
(currently React) and tooling is ferociously complicated. There don't
appear to be any books that teach JavaScript by using TDD, because TDD
is (still, after >20 years) an incredibly niche practice. Most
front-end peeps still don't TDD, as such book publishers probably
recognise that if you want to learn JS, you probably aren't interested
in TDD.
There are plenty of books that teach TDD, and plenty of books that
teach JS. You'll have trouble enough finding a book that teaches
front-end JS that is anywhere near current practice, because current
practice changes so quickly.
Crockford's book is great, but you surmised correctly that it is only
useful once you've already learned JS.
All I can offer you is the advice that if you search for 'JavaScript',
you will get everything from latest (ES2023, or ES14) to original JS
circa 1995. At least if you search for 'ES6' instead, or even 'ES2020'
you are going to get more relevant search results.

We used to say "don't start by teaching people Java, try something
simpler, like JavaScript', but now JS is IMHO more complicated than
Java. I'm sorry it is not what you wanted to hear, but my advice would
be to get through the JS portion of the course and to concentrate on
Java. Personally I think Python is a better introduction to
programming than either JS or Java, but if your daughter is learning
to pass exams, then you need to stick to the curriculum :(
Head-first Java by Kathy Sierra is an excellent introduction, and
Effective Java by Joshua Bloch is the definitive next step guide to
idiomatic Java programming.

On Sat, 24 Jun 2023 at 07:27, Matteo Vaccari <matteo.vaccari@...> wrote:

The book ¡° Software Design by Example: A Tool-Based Introduction with JavaScript : Wilson¡± seems to match what you¡¯re looking for; I only just started reading it but I like it so far

On Sat, 24 Jun 2023 at 01:23 Al Chou via groups.io <hotfusionman@...> wrote:

I've never used Java much, nor JavaScript, so the good books on becoming a good programmer I can think of don't give examples in those languages, and they also tend to use the idioms of the languages they do use for examples, and those idioms don't always have an analog in Java (modern JavaScript has adopted many of them, though). But IIRC, the examples in are in Java.


Al



On Thursday, June 22, 2023 at 04:43:28 PM PDT, Mark Levison <mark@...> wrote:


David - thanks as always for responding in any context.

I haven¡¯t so much decided on the programming language, as her class taught her JavaScript. Next year they will do Java. I¡¯ve started to investigate JavaScript because it is the language I¡¯m weakest in. In addition, while I don¡¯t like JavaScript, as a young programmer it will part of what she is paid to use.

Her overall goal become a good programmer and learn good habits early. I came here (and not Reddit) because I trust the technical acumen and general taste of this group.

JavaScript the Good Parts - I know it. I¡¯ve skimmed it myself. It doesn¡¯t fit (from what I can tell), because it doesn¡¯t teach much about the basics of programming, It assumes you know JavaScript. She knows variables, functions, conditionals, loops. She has used objects but only has a passing understanding. She really needs a good example that pulls her through learning JavaScript/Java in depth.

(Sad note - 15yrs after Crockford¡¯s book, JavaScript is no better)
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