13 BEST JavaScript Books for Beginners (2023 Update)

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JavaScript is an open-source and most popular client-side scripting language supported by all browsers. JavaScript is used mainly for enhancing the interaction of a user with the webpage.

Are you interested in learning the JavaScript Language and looking for some excellent book that will help you skyrocket your JavaScript expertise? Then you have come to the right place.

Here is a curated list of the best books to learn JavaScript for beginners. These books are highly recommended by JavaScript experts and are helpful for students to grasp the programming fundamentals. These resources will guide you to build your career in this promising field and make you a better JavaScript Developer.
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Best JavaScript Books for Beginners and Experts

Book Title Author Name Latest Edition Publisher Ratings Link
A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript Mark Myers 1st edition Lightning Source Inc Learn More
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide David Flanagan 1st edition O’Reilly Media Learn More
Head First JavaScript Programming Eric T Morrison 1st edition O′Reilly Learn More
Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition Marijn Haverbeke 3rd edition ‎‎No Starch Press Learn More
The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript Nicholas C. Zakas 1st edition No Starch Press Learn More

1) A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript

#1 Top Pick
A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript
4.6

Author Name: Mark Myers

Publisher: Lightning Source Inc

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 293 pages

This is a useful JavaScript book written by Mark Mayers for beginners as well as experienced developers. It helps them to enhance their skills and don’t mind covering some ground they already know.

In this JavaScript book, you learn the fundamentals of JavaScript as well as some advanced concepts, including constructors and prototypes.

The book is extremely user-friendly. It assumes no programming experience. The book covers ample coding examples and illustrations. The book will end up by free, online, interactive exercises paired with each chapter.


2) JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

#2
JavaScript
4.5

Author Name: David Flanagan

Publisher: O'Reilly Media

Latest Edition: 6th edition

No of Pages: 1018 pages

The Definitive Guide 6th edition covers HTML5 and ECMAScript 5. Writer David Flanagan has completely rewritten many chapters in this book. This edition also includes a new chat about how to document jQuery and server-side JavaScript.

The book is highly recommended for experienced programmers who want to learn the programming language. It is also ideal for the developer who are working as JavaScript programmers and considered as a career option.


3) Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide

#3
Head First JavaScript Programming
4.5

Author Name: Eric T Morrison

Publisher: O′Reilly

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 704 pages

This book, written by Elizabeth Robinson, teaches you everything from JavaScript language fundamentals to many advanced topics. It includes objects, functions, and the browser’s document object model.

Apart from reading material, it also covers playing games and solving puzzles. At the end of the book, you will learn how JavaScript works with the browser, JavaScript types, using arrays, the power of functions, and working with objects.


4) Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition

#4
Eloquent JavaScript
4.6

Author Name: Marijn Haverbeke

Publisher: No Starch Press

Latest Edition: 3rd edition

No of Pages: 472 pages


Eloquent JavaScript was written by Marijn Haverbekedives. This book teaches how to write beautiful, effective code.

You start by learning the basic structure of the JavaScript language as well as control structures, functions, and data structures. After that, you ‘ll learn about error handling and bug fixing, modularity, and asynchronous programming, and lastly, you will learn how JavaScript is used to program them.

This JavaScript book covers topics like understanding the essential elements of programming, which includes syntax, control, and data, basic web applications, use the DOM effectively, etc.


5) The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript

#5
The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript
4.6

Author Name: Nicholas C. Zakas

Publisher: No Starch Press

Latest Edition: 1st edition 

No of Pages: 120 pages

The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript is written by Nicholas C. Zakas. The writer explores JavaScript’s object-oriented nature. It reveals the language’s unique implementation of inheritance.

You’ll also learn about the difference between primitive and reference values, various ways to create objects, how to define your constructors, Inheritance patterns for types and objects.

The Principles of Object-Oriented JavaScript is also an excellent for an experienced developer with a deeper understanding of JavaScript. This helps you to create more clearer, more flexible, and more efficient code.


6) JavaScript: The Good Parts

#6
JavaScript: The Good Parts
4.5

Author Name: D Crockford

Publisher: O′Reilly

Latest Edition: 1st edition 

No of Pages: 170 pages

This JavaScript book is written by Douglas Crockford. It is ideal learning material for programmers. The book is also useful for programmers who are working with JavaScript and now want to become an advance programmer.

Inside this book, you will find topics related to JavaScript language and tasks common to a wide range of application domains. It offers many code samples.


7) JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development

#7
JavaScript and jQuery
4.6

Author Name: Jon Duckett 

Publisher: Wiley

Latest Edition: 1st edition 

No of Pages: 640 pages


This book was written by John Duckett. Its targeted audience is people who may not be qualified IT professionals. This book also taught readers how to use JavaScript more gently and visually.

This JavaScript book covers topic like Basic programming concepts, core elements of the JavaScript language – so you can learn how to write your scripts from scratch, Introduction to jQuery, How to recreate techniques s such as sliders, content filters, etc.


8) Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja

#8
Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja
4.5

Author Name: John Resig

Publisher: Manning Publications

Latest Edition: 2nd edition

No of Pages: 646 pages

Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, Second Edition, offers practical examples to illustrate each core concept and technique.

In this book, you will also learn some key JavaScript concepts like objects, functions, closures, objects, and prototypes. This book covers APIs such as DOM, events, and timers.

In this JavaScript book, you will also learn how to write effective code with functions, objects, and closure. Use of regular expressions to write succinct text-processing code, managing


9) Learn JavaScript VISUALLY with Interactive Exercises

#9
Learn JavaScript VISUALLY
4.2

Author Name: Ivelin Demirov

Publisher: Ivelin Demirov

Latest Edition: 3rd edition

No of Pages: 164 pages


Learn JavaScript VISUALLY with Interactive Exercises was written by Ivelin Demirov. In this JavaScript book, you will learn the basics like Analogies, Metaphors, Analogies, and Easy Interactive Exercises. The book offers colorful illustrations that help you as your brain never forgets an image, metaphor, or schema.

After the end of this ebook, you will learn How to read and write JavaScript, syntax, programming terminology and basic of the object-oriented programming


10) Professional JavaScript for Web Developers

#10
Professional JavaScript for Web Developers
4.5

Author Name: Nicholas C. Zakas

Publisher: Wrox

Latest Edition: 3rd edition

No of Pages: 960 pages

Professional JavaScript for Web Developers is a book written by Nicholas.C.Zaras. The book is aimed at three groups of readers: Experience web developers, web application developers, and advance and novice JavaScript developers.

The book include topic like object-oriented programming, powerful aspects of function expressions, browser Object Model, detecting the client and its capabilities, etc.

This JavaScript book is aimed at three groups of readers: Experienced object-oriented programming developers looking to learn JavaScript, and web application developers attempting to enhance site usability for novice JavaScript developers.


11) Effective JavaScript

#11
Effective JavaScript
4.6

Author Name: David Herman

Publisher: Addison-Wesley

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 240 pages

Effective JavaScript is written by David Herman. Effective JavaScript will help your understanding of this powerful language so that you can build more can develop predictable, reliable, and maintainable programs.

You can also be able to learn how to choose the right programming style for each project, better ways to use prototype-based object-oriented programming. It also subtleties and solutions for working with arrays and dictionaries, etc.


12) Javascript for Beginners

#12
Javascript for Beginners
4.1

Author Name: Mark Lassoff

Publisher: Learntoprogram Incorporated

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 292 pages

This JavaScript book, written by Mark Lassof, will get you started by teaching all the essential aspects of coding in JavaScript. Based on the author’s popular classroom and internet class. This is not just a book, but an interactive course on JavaScript. This study material also includes lab exercises and dozens of code examples.

In this book, you will not only learn the JavaScript syntax but be well-practiced in basic JavaScript development as you can work through the code examples and labs.


13) You Don’t Know JS

#13
You Don't Know JS
4.6

Author Name: Kyle Simpson

Publisher: Shroff/O'Reilly

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 280 pages

You Don’t Know JS ES6 & Beyond is a book written by Kytle Sympson. This JavaScript book for beginners helps you to enhance your JavaScript Script knowledge.

At the end of this book, you will learn ES6 syntax, Organize code with iterators, generators, modules, and classes. It also teaches how you can use collections to work more efficiently with data in structured ways. Extend your program’s capabilities through meta programming.


14) Speaking JavaScript: An In-Depth Guide for Programmers

#14
Speaking JavaScript
4.7

Author Name: Axel Rauschmayer

Publisher: O′Reilly

Latest Edition: 1st edition

No of Pages: 460 pages

Speaking JavaScript is a book written by Axel Rauschmayer that helps you approach the language with four standalone sections. This JavaScript guide teaches you just enough of the language to help you be productive right away.

That’s not all experienced JavaScript programmers will find a complete and easy-to-read reference that covers each language feature in-depth.

With this book, you will learn Object-oriented programming using JavaScript. The book also includes tips, tools, and libraries: Survey existing style guides, best practices, etc.

FAQ:

🏅 What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a client-side and server-side scripting language inserted into HTML pages and is understood by web browsers. JavaScript is also an Object-based Programming language.

📚 Which are the best JavaScript books for beginners?

Following are some of the best JavaScript books for beginners and experts

🚀 Why learn JavaScript Programming Language?

JavaScript is the most popular client-side programming language which is widely used for web application development in every industry. There is a huge demand in the IT industry for candidates having knowledge of JavaScript. Therefore, learning JavaScript is beneficial for you to get a good job and also enhance your skills and knowledge as well.