How should i start to learn javascript/jquery etc.? My programming knowledge is zero?

Question

I'm from design background. My programming knowledge is zero. After learning xhtml and css i want to learn and get good command on Javascript/jquery etc. How should i start?

This will be my first attempt to programming. I can use and edit readymade available jquery/javascript scripts but can't make my own and can't do high level editing in readymade scripts.

any other post on SO, any link of start-up tutorial, any book for my needs ?

Edit 1:

Is this book will work best for me

http://www.friendsofed.com/book.html?isbn=1590595335

Edit 2:

Will My Design background and knowledge of XHTML CSS help me to learn Javascript quickly?

and Is this correct? if i learn only jquery then I will not be able to work with other JS framework like Mootools, prototype etc. But if i learn core javascript then i would be able to work with all JS framework and anything in JS.

Answer 1

Start by learning some core JavaScript. Move on to JavaScript DOM api. When you get the fundamentals move on to JavaScript libraries like JQuery.

Answer 2

I think there not hundred of ways

• get yourself a good book
• take a look at the jquery documentation
• try it yourself

I think if you are looking only doing jQuery you don't have to learn the whole language, just stick with the basic and leave the class and comple topics, because using jQuery you would almost always write small piece of code with not too complex logic

Answer 3

For JavaScript, I would look at the W3Schools tutorial. For JQuery, see the tutorials on the JQuery page itself.

Answer 4

Well, jQuery is a javascript library, and it's a very easy to learn one, but you should get some base knowledge about javascript first, as you may end up not be able to do / understand some things, specially when you need to build something more complex.

jQuery has a fairly good documentation it its website.

To learn javascript, I recommend this :

http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp

Should get you on the way. It has some quizes as well to test your knowledge after that :)

To well know about different behaviour in different browsers, always test, test, test (despite jQuery is quite stable and cross-browser, is never a loss to learn the differences by yourself)

Answer 5

I agree w3schools is the best place to learn javascript

Answer 6

Your chosen book is a good one. Learning jQuery is also a good stepping stone to learning Javascript if you're starting out with only design experience; it's great if you're familiar with CSS.

Also:

• jQuery for Designers
• Programming, the real basics by Chris Heilmann
• All other Javascript articles in the Opera Web Standards Curriculum

Answer 7

I was in the same boat as you in January this year. The book in your post is what I started to use too. I really recommend it. Also "learning jQuery" and "jQuery in action" were both helpful to me.

In my opinion, jQuery is like a shorthand (and easier for a disigner who is used to working visually) version Javascript. You'll see lots of techniques in the DOM Scripting book that take up multiple lines of code that you will be able to do in a line or two of jQuery.

Coming from a design background, I mostly use jQuery to add a little "pop" to my user experience, and leave the hardcore programming to the developers, but eventually I hope to be able to help them out.

Here are some sites that I found useful - good luck!

http://css-tricks.com/ (great entry level tutorials for designers)
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/09/16/jquery-examples-and-best-practices/
http://blog.themeforest.net/category/tutorials/
http://net.tutsplus.com/category/tutorials/

Answer 8

Depends if you want to learn javascript or if your satisfied just learning a library. To fully understand a library you should know javascript.

I suggest here for jquery: http://blog.themeforest.net/screencasts/jquery-for-absolute-beginners-video-series/

Or here for raw javascript: Javascript From Null