Learn more about JavaScript

If you want to learn JavaScript and you’re about ready to dive into Head First JavaScript Programming, you can get a quick head start with this collection of videos we put together as we were writing the book. You’ll get a quick taste of JavaScript with ten topics covering everything from what JavaScript is, to the basics of variables and types, and even best practices to keep in mind as you learn how to program in JavaScript. Each video is just a few minutes long, but you’ll be surprised at how much you learn.

Use Map to organize data with JavaScript

We’ve got a new video, about the Map data structure in JavaScript. We’ll take you through the basics of how to create and use Map, and then dive right into a fun example. Follow along as we read temperature data from a CSV file into an array using D3.js’s csv() method, and then use a Map to group the temperatures by year. Then we can use that Map to compute the average yearly high and low temperatures, and convert the data back into an array, ready for making a visualization. This is great practice for using Map in JavaScript, so join us and learn how to use Map.

Episode 2: A conversation on SEO with Nick Choat

Episode 2: A conversation on SEO with Nick Choat

We recently sat down with Nick Choat, author of Online or Flatline.  In episode 2 of WickedlySmart Conversations, Nick describes his journey navigating the digital marketing waters around making a brick & mortar franchise successful. With Nick we dig into the...

Build a Generative Music Box

Build a Generative Music Box

We've completed beta testing our second project and are now preparing to launch! Just like Project 1, A Generative Music Box will help you practice your JavaScript programming skills. What is it? If you've ever played with the Bloom app on your iOS device, then you'll...

Using the Firefox Console

Using the Firefox Console

In a previous post I showed the features of the Safari and Chrome consoles. Here, I do the same for the Firefox console, which has many similar features, as well as a couple of features unique to Firefox. This is a great way to get comfortable in all the major browser...

Editing your HTML and CSS in the browser

Editing your HTML and CSS in the browser

Chrome and Safari both allow you to edit and experiment with your HTML and CSS right in the browser. The tools and features available in both these browsers have expanded considerably in the past couple of years, giving developers many more options for experimenting...

Using the Console

Using the Console

In a previous video about using the browser developer tools, I focus on how to use the JavaScript console to experiment with and test your JavaScript code. In the following videos, I provide a quick overview of the main features in the Safari and Chrome developer...

Experimenting with CSS

Experimenting with CSS

Over the years CSS has grown... a lot. Just like with HTML and JavaScript APIs (like geolocation and web storage), the specification for CSS---that is, what constitutes correct CSS rules and properties---is managed by the W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium. Until...

A Manager’s Guide to Design Patterns

A Manager’s Guide to Design Patterns

We’ve just finished a cool project with O’Reilly: a short manager’s guide to design patterns. Here’s the idea: create a guide that gives you the gist of design patterns, enough to remind you of what they are all…

The Art of Design Patterns

The Art of Design Patterns

Anyone who has ever been late on a software development project (who hasn’t?) can relate to this. Software development starts to feel more like an art or craft when the best you can do is roughly estimate the size and scope of a job and then cross your fingers and hope for the best — certainly, it is at times like these when our field doesn’t feel like much of a science.

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