15 Best JavaScript Books For Beginners and Experts [Updated 2021]

best javascript books

Are you interested in learning JavaScript but don’t know where to begin? Or are you a seasoned developer who needs a refresher course in JavaScript? Or are you the kind of programmer who likes reading books as nightcaps to enrich your knowledge and build your skillset?

In this article, you’ll find the 15 best Javascripts books for beginners and experts and four bonus ones that we hope will fulfill your requirements.

Planning to build JavaScript projects? Here are some ideas, please refer to the link.

Best JavaScript Books for Beginners & Experts

In this list of Best JavaScript Books, we’ve curated a list for both beginners as well as advanced programmers. In our efforts to bring the best of the books available right now in the market, we’ve rounded up only the best of them and ensured to pick those that have promising reviews on the web and are also recommended by industry experts.


Beginner’s Level Javascript Books:

1.A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript: The new tech-assisted approach that requires half the effort

Price: Rs.1869 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 449
Author: Mark Myers
Publisher: Lightning Source Inc; 1st edition (20th March 2014)
Online Ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our Rating: 4.7

This book makes the top of our list for one reason: It’s the best book out there for beginners! The author dispels the notion most of us have, which is: Coding is hard! While it may not be a piece of cake, it isn’t hard to master with a bit of practice.

When used in conjunction with tons of interactive practice exercises created online by the author, Mark Myers, this book can ensure that you learn JavaScript in the easiest way possible.

Features of this book:

  • Step by step approach used to teach the fundamentals of JavaScript.
  • This book also has an explanation of advanced concepts like constructors and prototypes.
  • It is very user-friendly.
  • The explanations are given in simple and easy English. People of all backgrounds can easily understand the non-technical English used in this book.
  • Moreover, free, online, and interactive exercises are there in each chapter of this book. 

Do not hesitate to practice several thousand free exercises created by the author to accompany this and the other books he wrote.

2. Composing Software

Price: $48.60
Author: Eric Elliott
Publisher: Independently published (27th December, 2018)
Online ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

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Features of this book:

  • It covers the foundations of both functional programming and object-oriented programming to help the reader better understand how to build and structure complex applications using simple building blocks.
  • You’ll learn functional programming, Object composition, How to work with composite data structures.

3. Eloquent JavaScript: A Modern Introduction to Programming

Price: Rs. 1950 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 1645.19
Author: Marjin Haverbeke
Publisher: No Starch Press; 3rd edition – 4th December 2018
Online ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our rating: 4.7

This book is written in a completely conversational code. This feature makes this book stands out from the rest of this list. The author’s voice is friendly and interactive, making intimidating and overwhelming concepts better to understand and work with, a significant feature to have in a beginner’s JavaScript guide.

Features of this book:

  • This book focuses on writing real applications.
  • The latest edition of this book reflects the current state of JavaScript and web browsers.
  • It includes brand new material on features like class notation, arrow functions, iterators, async functions, template strings and block scope.
  • In the new edition, a lot of exercises have also been added.

4. JavaScript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development

Price: Rs. 2374 (Paperback), Hardcover – Rs. 2935
Authors: Gilles Ruppert, Jon Duckett, Jack Moore
Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (2th September 2014)
Online ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

This book is written for newbies that have never worked with code. This gem not only explains concepts concisely but also inspires its readers to write beautiful code. It doesn’t come with exercises, but it is an excellent supplement for taking a beginner’s practical approach to JavaScript programming.

Features of this book:

  • Neatly laid out examples will help you stimulate your sample code and make your understanding stronger.
  • It is a full-colour book, and it adopts a visual approach to teaching JavaScript & jQuery.
  • It uses clear descriptions, inspiring examples, and easy-to-follow diagrams.

5. Learn JavaScript VISUALLY

Price: Rs. 3227 (Paperback), Hardcover – Rs. 2174, Kindle edition – Rs. 0.00
Author: Ivelin Demirov
Publisher: Ivelin Demirov; 3rd edition (27th June 2014)
Online ratings: 4.1 out of 5
Our rating: 4

This book is more like a workbook for beginner JavaScript programmers. It explains even the most basic concepts in the simplest manner possible, thereby making it a good book for newbies and those planning to start programming in JavaScript but have no idea where to begin.

Features of this book:

  • It is a short book for visual learners.
  • It has a lot of full-colour illustrations.
  • It’s interactive, which helps to maintain the tempo and enthusiasm of the reader.

6. JavaScript for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming

Price: Rs. 2320 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 1439.19
Author: Nick Morgan
Publisher: No Starch Press; 1st edition (14th December 2014)
Online ratings: 4.5 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

JavaScript for Kids is a playful way to learn JavaScript from the foundational roots, slowly progressing and building your way up. It comes with plenty of exercises that allow beginners to be able to think like programmers.

Features of this book:

  • It teaches programming through step by step examples approach.
  • It has fun illustrations.
  • It teaches basic concepts like strings, arrays, loops, etc.
  • It also teaches advanced concepts like building interactivity with jQuery and drawing graphics with Canvas.

Best Advanced Level JavaScript Books

1. JavaScript: The Good Parts

Price: Rs. 2005 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 332.85
Author: Douglas Crockford
Publisher: O’ Reilly; 1st Edition (16th May 2008)
Online ratings: 4.4 out of 5
Our rating: 4.3

Not designed for beginners, this book can serve as good reference material for advanced programmers. It defines a ton of new concepts and points of features and usages that cannot be found elsewhere. It takes a unique approach to explain precisely why which parts of JavaScript work and how to make the most of them while discarding the rest.

Features of this book:

  • It focuses on the good features of the JavaScript language.
  • It reinforces the idea that treating JavaScript just like Java is a mistake.
  • It uses code snippets to illustrate the good parts and bad parts of JavaScript.
  • It will help you understand how to use the best parts of JavaScript and avoid or reduce exposure to JavaScript’s bad elements. 
  • It is written in beautiful, elegant, and highly expressive language.

7. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, 6th Edition

Price: Rs. 1462 (Paperback)
Author: David Flanagan
Publisher: O′Reilly; 6th Edition (17th May 2011)
Online ratings: 4.5 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide is quoted to be “the best book on JavaScript” in the market. The book was first introduced 10 years ago and has, since then, gone through five different editions, sustaining its position as the best book available. The book’s size may intimidate some beginners, but it has been proven to be useful for beginners and beneficial for advanced programmers.

Features of this book:

  • The 6th edition of this book covers HTML5 and ECMAScript 5.
  • Most of the chapters are completely rewritten to bring them in line with today’s best web development practices.
  • New chapters in this edition have jQuery and server-side JavaScript.
  • This book is recommended for current JavaScript programmers who want to master it as well as experienced programmers who want to learn the programming language of the web.

9. Effective JavaScript: 68 Specific Ways to Harness the Power of JavaScript

Price: Rs. 1336.35 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 558.60
Author: David Herman
Publisher: Addison-Wesley; 1st edition (5th December 2012)
Online ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our ratings: 4.5

The best book to use as a cheatsheet, after you’ve had your basics down pat. This book is not a good fit for beginners but is an excellent companion for seasoned and looking to expand their understanding of programming in JavaScript. Not just pure JavaScript, this book will teach you how to decide which programming style would be better suited for different parts of your project.

Features of this book:

  • It will help deepen your understanding of JavaScript.
  • You can build more predictable, reliable, and maintainable programs after you learn from this book.
  • It reflects the latest versions of the JavaScript standard.
  • It compiles around 68 proven approaches for writing better JavaScript, backed by concrete examples.

10. Programming JavaScript Applications: Robust Web Architecture with Node, HTML5 and Modern JS Libraries

Price: Rs. 2611 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 443.10
Author: Eric Elliott
Publisher: O′Reilly; 1st Edition (8th July 2014)
Online Ratings: 3.9 out of 5
Our rating: 3.6

This book is perfect for those looking to build large-scale JavaScript applications with resilient and flexible code. The author teaches you how to add client-side as well as server-side features to a JavaScript-powered application. The book is also peppered with best practices that help and guide programmers on their way to building modern applications.

Features of this book:

  • It is an excellent book for learning the practical implementation of JavaScript concepts.
  • You can examine the anatomy of a large-scale JavaScript application.
  • You will be able to build modern web apps with the capabilities of desktop applications.
  • You will learn best practices for code organization, modularity, and reuse.
  • You will be able to separate your application into different layers of responsibility.
  • You will gain the knowledge to build efficient, self-describing hypermedia APIs with Node.js.
  • You can test, integrate, and deploy software updates in rapid cycles.
  • You will get to know how to control resource access with user authentication and authorization
  • You can expand your application’s reach through internationalization.

Best Javascripts Books for Beginners and Expert [Updated in 2021]

11. High-Performance Browser Networking

Price: Rs. 1050 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 540.75
Author: Ilya Grigorik
Publisher: O’Reilly Media; 1st edition (11th September 2013)
Online ratings: 4.7 out of 5
Our rating: 4.6

Are you hoping to develop a fully functioning website quickly? Look no further. This book is your one-stop-shop for learning everything that you need to know about networking, about the technology that powers the Internet. Although it is very in-depth, explaining concepts adequately, not once, makes the reader feel bored or uninterested. Quoted as a page-turner by some, this book is a must-have for all tech lovers.

Features of this book:

  • It demonstrates performance optimisation best practices for TCP, UDP, and TLS protocols.
  • It explains unique wireless and mobile network optimisation requirements.
  • You will also learn the performance characteristics of technologies such as HTTP 2.0, client-side network scripting with XHR, real-time streaming with SSE and WebSocket, and P2P communication with WebRTC.

12. You Don’t Know JS

Price: Rs. 2,600 (Paperback)
Author: Kyle Simpson
Publisher: Shroff/O’Reilly; First edition (1st January 2017)
Online ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

You Don’t Know JS is a series of books dedicated to explaining the in-depth concepts of JavaScript. The first few books in the series might be somewhat suitable for beginners, but the material is highly advanced. Even if you don’t have experience with coding in JavaScript, understanding how programming languages work and a bit of experience in coding in at least one will certainly help you take away more from this series.

Features of this book:

  • It is a good series of books.
  • It primarily focuses on lexical scoping.

13. JavaScript Allongé, the “Six” Edition

Price: Kindle edition – Rs. 301.48
Author: Reginald Braithwaite
Publisher: Justin Kelly (2nd October 2013)
Online ratings: 4.1 out of 5
Our rating: 4

This book is renowned for its simplicity. The readers especially love how the author describes a complex context with the help of simple-to-understand code logic. The book has been written for those who want to learn JavaScript and develop a sound understanding of its basic concepts and seasoned programmers who regularly code in JavaScript but need a refresher course.

Features of this book:

  • It gives various tools to deal with JavaScript bugs, hitches, edge cases, and other potential pitfalls.
  • It provides recipes for using functions to write software that is simpler, cleaner, and less complicated than alternative approaches that are object-centric or code-centric.
  • It teaches you how to handle complex code, as well as how to simplify code without dumbing it down. 

14. Beginning JavaScript

Price: Rs. 2,863 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 2,719.85
Author: Jeremy McPeak
Publisher: Wrox; 5th edition (24th April 2015)
Online ratings: 4.4 out of 5
Our rating: 4.3

This beginner’s book is filled with plenty of sample problems with detailed solutions and explanations. The book is not just for beginners but also great for advanced users who can use it as reference material. The exercises provided by the author work great as an interactive book instead of a long, one-way discourse, thereby making it a fun learning experience.

Features of the book:-

  • Beginning with JavaScript 5th Edition illustrates how to work effectively with JavaScript frameworks, functions, and modern browsers.
  • It teaches more effective coding practices using HTML5.
  • This new edition reflects how JavaScript is most commonly used today, introducing you to the latest tools and techniques available to JavaScript developers. Coverage includes modern coding practices using HTML5 markup, the JSON data format, DOM APIs, the jQuery framework, and more.
  • A lot of exercises with solutions are there, which provide plenty of opportunities to practice, and the companion website offers downloadable code for all examples given in the book.

15. Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide

Price: Rs. 3,030 (Paperback), Kindle edition – Rs. 1,235
Author: Elisabeth Robson and Eric Freeman
Publisher: O′Reilly; 1st edition (13th June 2014)
Online ratings: 4.5 out of 5
Our rating: 4.5

This book teaches you everything from JavaScript language fundamentals to advanced topics, like objects, functions, and the browser’s document object model. Along with reading the textual content, you’ll be playing games, solving puzzles, pondering mysteries, and interacting with JavaScript in ways you never imagined.

Features of this book:

  • It uses a visually rich format designed for the way your brain works.
  • It includes various games, puzzles, etc.
  • It covers basic as well as advanced concepts of JavaScript.

List of Free E-Books of JavaScript:

  1. JavaScript Domain-Driven Design Kindle Edition by Philipp Fehre – 2015
  2. JavaScript Patterns Kindle Edition by Stoyan Stefanov – 2010
  3. JavaScript Security Kindle Edition by Y.E Liang – 2014
  4. JavaScript Unit Testing Kindle Edition by Hazem Saleh – 2013
  5. Learning Ext JS – Fourth Edition by Carlos A. Méndez, Crysfel Villa, Armando Gonzalez – 2015
  6. Learning React Native Building Native Mobile Apps with JavaScript Kindle Edition by Bonnie Eisenman – 2016
  7. Maintainable JavaScript Kindle Edition by Nicholas C. Zakas – 2012
  8. NW.js Essentials Kindle Edition by Alessandro Benoit – 2015
  9. ReactJS by Example – Building Modern Web Applications with React Kindle Edition by Vipul A M, Prathamesh Sonpatki – 2016
  10. Responsive Web Design with AngularJS by Sandeep Kumar Patel – 2014

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best book to learn JavaScript for beginners?

A Smarter Way to learn JavaScript, Composing software, Eloquent JavaScript, and JavaScript by Jon Duckett are the best books to learn JavaScript for beginners.

Is eloquent JavaScript good for beginners?

With 21 detailed chapters that include Node.js and projects, eloquent JavaScript is indeed perfect for beginners. The book is written in a structured and easy-to-read manner. The concepts are well-explained, and it is a must-have for programmers with all levels of experience.

Is JavaScript easy to learn for beginners?

Yes, absolutely! You just need to have the right mindset and the right drive. You will find countless resources and books to aid you in the journey.

Is JavaScript worth learning in 2021?

Yes. JavaScript is a powerful language used to build web applications, mobile applications, and even desktop applications.

Is JavaScript harder than Python?

Python is an interpreted language and requires a minimum amount of code. Certain concepts might appear to you as hard, but eventually, Python is not an alternative to JavaScript. Both have their use cases, and hence, you should not worry about which one is hard and consider which is essential for you.

Conclusion

Python is an interpreted language and requires a minimum amount of code. Certain concepts might appear to you as hard, but eventually, Python is not an alternative to JavaScript.

Both have their use cases, and hence, you should not worry about which one is hard and consider which is essential for you.

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