8 Best JavaScript Books

Want to learn Javascript? We have a list of best javascript books for you. There are many js books available online and in store, however, it’s not easy to pick the best.

JavaScript is the most popular client-side scripting language that is used for providing dynamic behavior in web browsers. It runs seamlessly on all operating systems and browsers.

If you are a developer or a Front End Engineer and are unable to find your way through a given aspect of JavaScript, then the best way to get started with a new area is by grabbing a good book and finding your way out.

And if you are keen to learn JavaScript, then this article is exactly what you might have been looking for to get started as it provides you with a list of important JavaScript books that every engineer/developer must read in order to master the language.

A lot of developers have already started using powerful JavaScript libraries like jQuery and knowing basics of JavaScript is going to speed up your library learning. You may also want to have a look at Some Good jQuery Books.

Once you have shortlisted a book, you can search for it online or purchase a paperback version of the same. We have found the below-listed books are good for Javascript programmer to gain expertise and be more productive.

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

(By: David Flanagan )

This is one of the best javascript book available. Since the year 1996, this book has been like a bible for web programmers. It is a comprehensive guide providing references to the proper usage of JavaScript along with the client-side JavaScript APIs. The book also covers ECMAScript 5 and HTML5. The book is ideal for both current programmers as well as the experienced ones.

JavaScript and jQuery: The Missing Manual

(By: David Sawyer McFarland )

This magnificent guide shows you the easy way to learn the super active HTML language in an easy and time-saving manner. This jargon-free manual will help you master the art of excellent web page building without writing extensive programs. In addition to this, this guide helps you create interactive pages by making use of effects and animations, data collection through web forms, improving the user interface, live tutorials and much more.

Professional JavaScript for Web Developers

(By: Nicholas C. Zakas )

This book will introduce you to the JavaScript language along with more useful and advanced features. This book is suitable for beginners as well as experienced programmers. This book will help you understand and master all the important detailing and built-in references of JavaScript, JavaScript programs that are object oriented, client machine detection, XML data manipulation, creating a custom event framework, browser debugging and so on. This guide has been penned down by a working programmer so as to meet the current needs of web developers and IT professionals.

JavaScript: The Good Parts

(By: Douglas Crockford )

In my opinion, it’s the best JavaScript book for experienced JS developers. This authoritative guide reveals to you a subset of the JavaScript language that is easily readable, more reliable and maintainable by scraping away all its bad features. This refined language subset can be used to create efficient and extensible codes. The book will help you master the genuinely important aspects of the language like Syntax, Objects, Functions, Inheritance, Arrays, Regular expressions, Styles, Methods and Beautiful features. Hence, you will be brought face to face with an extremely elegant and lightweight language by eliminating all its drawbacks.

High-Performance Web Sites: Essential Knowledge for Front-End Engineers

(By: Steve Souders )

This excellent guide helps you cut down the response time of your website by 25% to 50%. The author makes use of some of the best practices which can optimize the web pages that are frequently visited. The various rules help in the optimization of CSS, Flash, Ajax, JavaScript and Images that are present on your site. In addition to this, every other aspect of the server-browser communication is covered.

Even Faster Web Sites: Performance Best Practices for Web Developers

(By: Steve Souders )

The success of any website depends on upon its performance and this is exactly what this book makes you aware of. This guide provides you with some of the most valuable techniques which will help you optimize the performance of your site. This can be done in 3 different ways- by understanding, learning and mastering the art of using JavaScript, networking techniques and browser knowledge. This book shows you ways to optimize the load time of your site so that it responds faster.

High Performance JavaScript

(By: Nicholas C. Zakas )

Most of the developers build quick responding and interactive web applications by making an extensive use of JavaScript. But this language code can reduce the speed of your apps. This book takes you through the various techniques through which you can develop an application by eliminating unnecessary bottlenecks. The author, along with five other JavaScript experts has brought forth a list of optimal ways by which you can code a page and write programs which will run your JavaScript quickly and efficiently.

JavaScript Patterns

(By: Stoyan Stefanov )

This book explains in detail a number of coding patterns along with some of the best practices that can be followed while using JavaScript to develop an application. The book contains code templates and abstractions that are ideal for writing an application like desktop, server-side or client-side. You can also make use of these abstractions if you are facing any problems with regards to functions, inheritance, objects, etc. The book will also make you aware about anti-patterns.

One can purchase these books from the publisher’s website or Amazon.com for quick and easy copies. These are the top JavaScript books and can help you gain deep insights about the nuances of the language.

I hope you can find a good javascript book in this list that suits you. Let us know which one do you like?