The 10 Best Books On jQuery and Javascript
This wiki has been updated 26 times since it was first published in December of 2016. Whether you are a newbie and don't know where to begin or a seasoned programmer looking to enhance your skills, you've come to the right place. With so many jQuery and JavaScript books on the market today, it's hard to know which ones are worth your time. We've compiled a list that will get you up to speed on basic and advanced techniques, along with everything in-between. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. A Smarter Way to Learn jQuery
2. Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide
3. The Missing Manual
Editor's Notes
March 25, 2019:
The jQuery framework was introduced to make coding in JavaScript easier, but it is important to have a thorough working knowledge of both if you want be a well-rounded programmer. You cannot learn jQuery without first learning JavaScript, and you shouldn't learn JavaScript without taking the time to also educate yourself on jQuery, since it will make you more efficient. If you are just starting to learn about these two subjects, you will want to take a look at A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript, Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide, and The Missing Manual. These are specifically designed in a way that makes it easy for newbies to grasp the basics, while slowly increasing their knowledge and skill level to a point where they can begin to move onto more advanced concepts. Pro JavaScript Design Patterns is best for programmers who already have a working knowledge of JS and want to improve their skills so they can begin to build large-scale applications. JavaScript and jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development, Murach's JavaScript and jQuery, Learning jQuery Fifth Edition, and jQuery in Action are middle of the road options. Both beginners and experienced coders will find useful information in these texts, though because of their appeal to a wide audience, some readers may get bored when the authors spend too much time covering basic concepts, whereas others may get intimated when the author covers more advanced topics. If you are an intermediate programmer, one of these will be your best choice. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide 6th Edition is unique in that many generally consider it better as a reference than a front-to-back read because of the sheer volume of information contained within. If you want to learn about the best JS coding techniques from someone who was considered a foremost expert in the field and don't mind that some of the information is outdated, take a look at JavaScript The Good Parts.
4. Interactive Front-End Web Development
5. Murach's JavaScript and jQuery
6. Learning jQuery 3
7. Pro JavaScript Design Patterns
8. jQuery in Action
9. JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
10. JavaScript: The Good Parts
A wandering writer who spends as much time on the road as in front of a laptop screen, Brett can either be found hacking away furiously at the keyboard or, perhaps, enjoying a whiskey and coke on some exotic beach, sometimes both simultaneously, usually with a four-legged companion by his side. He has been a professional chef, a dog trainer, and a travel correspondent for a well-known Southeast Asian guidebook. He also holds a business degree and has spent more time than he cares to admit in boring office jobs. He has an odd obsession for playing with the latest gadgets and working on motorcycles and old Jeeps. His expertise, honed over years of experience, is in the areas of computers, electronics, travel gear, pet products, and kitchen, office and automotive equipment.