Best Javascript Courses - Q2 2023

Each year, LinkedIn analyzes the profiles and job postings on its platform to identify the skills that are in highest demand from employers. This year, Javascript was listed at #7 in LinkedIn’s list of top hard skills. Javascript is a fundamental langauge for web and mobile development and is often a stepping stone to other programming languages. Javascript is most used by Software Developers and Web Developers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Software Developer and Web Developer jobs are epected to grow much faster than most other jobs in the next decade (25% an 23% respectively). Median salaries for these jobs range from the mid-70s to the low 100s.

Our Expert Picks

There is a wide range of courses on Javascript available across dozens of online learning platforms. Campus.com partners with industry experts to review the best courses based on rigorous criteria, including content coverage, lecture quality, quiz quality, assignment quality, and certificate brand.
Two men looking at a screen and discussingCheck Price
on Coursera's website
Campus.com Rating
4.8
/5

Time to Complete:

4.5 weeks @ 4 hours per week

# Enrolled:

39,337

Content Coverage:

Lecturer Quality:

Quiz Quality:

Exercise Quality:

Our Expert Review

Content Coverage (5/5)

This course is structured into 4 modules comprised of video lectures, readings, discussions, quizzes, and exercises. The content coverers the majority of topics that we consider essential in a Javascript course.  The course also goes in-depth on working with the DOM and Events.

Essential topics missing in this course include:

  • Managing Objects
  • Classes and Inheritance

Lecture Quality (5/5)

The instructor for this course is organized, confident, clear, and poised.  The lectures are short (usually less than 10 mins) and targeted.  Most lectures consist of the instructor introducing a topic with a slide containing simple graphics explaining the topic. The instructor then demonstrates the topic through screensharing as he codes.  The instructor does a good job of demonstrating common mistakes as he works in real-time in Visual Studio.

Quiz Quality (5/5)

There is a summative quiz at the end of every module of this course.  The quizzes consist of very well-written multiple-choice and multiple-select questions.  The number of questions are adequate to test the learner’s knowledge of the material in each module.

Quizzes are automatically graded.  For questions that are answered incorrectly, learners are given hints of which topics to review.  Learners must receive an 80% or higher to earn credit for the module quizzes and can retake the quizzes up to 2 times every 8 hours.

Assignment/Exercise Quality (4/5)

Much of this course is structured around actual projects that the learner is expected to work on after they watch the instructor demonstrate the project.  The projects are well suited to beginners and files and documentation is provided.  However, the projects are optional and there is no feedback provided by any expert.

There are also frequent discussion prompts, but participation by other learners seems to be very low.

Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)

This course is offered by UC Davis through the Coursera platform.  UC Davis is a well-known and respected university and Coursera is one of the leading learning platforms.

a conceptual graphic showing code bracketsCheck Price
on Udemy's website
Campus.com Rating
4.2
/5

Time to Complete:

3 weeks @ 4 hours per week

# Enrolled:

48,410

Content Coverage:

Lecturer Quality:

Quiz Quality:

Exercise Quality:

Our Expert Review

Content Coverage (5/5)

This course is structured into 18 sections comprised of video lectures, code exercises, and quizzes.  It is an extremely thorough course, covering nearly all topics that we consider to be essential for a javascript course.  The one topic missing is Classes and Inheritance.

The instructor has added several topics that we don’t consider essential, but may be helpful anyway.  These include type conversion; regular expressions; errors and debugging, and events.

Lecture Quality (5/5)

The instructor for this course is very knowledgeable and poised.  Most of the lectures consist of screenshares as he writes specific code examples and variations while providing audio explanations.  The examples are usually very focused and organized.  The instructor is relatively casual, sometimes making and corrects syntactical mistakes as he codes.  In this case, we find this to be beneficial to the learner, as syntax errors can be frustrating when learning a new language.

Quiz Quality (3/5)

There are only two quizzes in this course containing multiple choice and true/false questions.  The quizzes are thorough – covering most of the essential content within the modules they teset.   The questions are well-written with plausible answer options.

Students are presented with one question at a time and the questions are automatically graded.  Feedback is simple correct/incorrect. There is no minimal score required and students can keep trying answers until they answer correctly.

Assignment/Excercise Quality (5/5)

This course has many assignments throughout that allow learners to write actual javascript code and see the output.  The assignments work directly in the browser and don’t require downloading or installing any special software.  Each assignment also provides feedback and hints after the student has submitted.  This is an excellent way for learners to practice and apply javascript.

Certificate Branding (3/5)

This course is offered by Abhay Talreja through the Udemy platform.  Talreja is a software consultant and team lead with over 10 years of development experience in many languages. While Mr. Talreja is certainly qualified to teach the course, he is not well known within the computer science industry. Udemy is one of the leading online learning providers, but course quality varies widely within their platform. For these reasons, this course may not have as big of an impact on a resume as some of the others in this list.

A conceptual image showing the letter JS and a gear.Check Price
on EdX's website
Campus.com Rating
4.2
/5

Time to Complete:

10 weeks @ 4 hours per week

# Enrolled:

206,924

Content Coverage:

Lecturer Quality:

Quiz Quality:

Exercise Quality:

Our Expert Review

Content Coverage (5/5)

This course is organized of 5 modules comprised of video lectures, readings, discussion prompts, ungraded “knowledge check” quizzes, and graded quizzes.  The course covers all of the content we consider to be essential for a course on Javascript.  In addition to these essentials, the course also covers topics such as:

  • The DOM API
  • Callback functions
  • Handling events
  • Working with forms
  • The javascript API

Lecture Quality (5/5)

The instructor for this course is Michel Buffa,  a professor/researcher at University Côte d’Azur (France) and a staff member of the WIMMICS research group, a joint initiative of INRIA and the I3S Laboratories (CNRS).  He is very experienced, confident, organized, and poised in his delivery.

Lectures consist of the instructor speaking in a “window box” in the lower left while screensharing as he codes javascript in the main screen.  All of the coding examples are well prepared and focused.

Every lecture is accompanied by text and code examples that thoroughly explain the concepts further.

The instructor does have a relatively strong French accent, but his English is excellent and we found him easy to understand.

Quiz Quality (5/5)

There are three types of quizzes provided in this course:

Short “Knowledge Checks” at the end of specific lessons.  These are not graded, but do provide an excellent tool for learners to test their knowledge before moving forward to the next lesson.

Graded module quizzes.  These are quizzes that thoroughly test the learner’s knowledge of all content covered in the module.  Questions can be answered and graded one at a time and correct/incorrect feedback is provided immediately.  Some questions allow more than one attempt.  Once all attempts have been used, a detailed explanation can be viewed by the learner.  Each module quiz accounts for 18% of the final grade.

A final exam in the last module.  This works just like the graded module quizzes, but covers the entire course and counts for 28% of the final grade.

Assignment/Exercise Quality (1/5)

There are no assignments or exercises offered in this course.

Certificate Brand Quality (5/5)

This course is offered by W3C (The World Wide Web Consortium) through the EdX platform. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work together to develop Web standards.   They have an long-standing and excellent reputation in web development.

A conceptual graphic showing a woman with a laptop holding a piece of paper on which code brackets are written.Check Price
On LinkedIn Learning's website
Campus.com Rating
4
/5

Time to Complete:

1 week @ 4 hours per week

# Enrolled:

3,183

Content Coverage:

Lecturer Quality:

Quiz Quality:

Exercise Quality:

Our Expert Review

Content Coverage (5/5)

This course is structured into 7 modules comprised of brief (less than 5 min) videos and quizzes.  The course covers the majority of topics we consider to be essential in a javascript course, but does not go deeply into HTML, the DOM or CSS.

Lecture Quality (5/5)

The instructor for this course is clear, confident, and engaging.  The lectures are high quality, consisting of conceptual graphics and well-prepared screenshares of the instructor writing actual code.

Quiz Quality (5/5)

Each module ends with a quiz containing well-written multiple choice questions.  There are an adequate number of questions to test the learner’s knowledge of the material in the module.

Questions are presented one at a time and automatically graded.  Learners receive helpful feedback for questions answered incorrectly, as well as links back to the lectures covered in the question.  There is no minimum grade required; learners receive credit for the quiz after answering all questions.

Assignment/Exercise Quality (1/5)

There are no assignments or exercises included in this course.

Certificate Brand Quality (4/5)

The certificate is offered by LinkedIn Learning.  Formerly Lynda Learning, this is a very well-respected corporate learning platform.  LinkedIn Learning certificates can be automatically added to Learner’s LinkedIn profile.  Given the notoriety of Lynda Learning and LinkedIn, this certificate is likely to impress employers.

Topics to Look For in a Javascript Course

  • Setting up a development environment
  • Basic HTML, HTML5, and the Document Object Model (DOM)
  • Basic Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) concepts
  • Variables (var, let, const, scope)
  • Functions (code reuse, return)
  • Javascript Types (string, number, boolean, bigint, symbol, object)
  • Javascript operators
  • Working with Arrays
  • Managing Objects (this, Javascript Object Model (JSON), object functions)
  • Conditional statements (if, else if, else, try catch, switch)
  • Looping (for loop, for/in loop, for/of loop, do/while loop, while loop)
  • Classes and Inheritance

The Major Online Learning Platforms

Each online learning platform is unique.  Some specialize in certain types of content, some partner with major universities or corporations to develop content, and some have special learning features.  While not exhaustive, the list below includes the major online platforms whose courses we feature.

Pros / Cons

Pros: Certificates often are offered from major universities or corporations.

Cons: The quality of course content and features available varies dramatically between courses.

Cost

$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Courses are very similar to those offered in colleges.

Cons: The quality of content and features offered varies dramatically between learning programs.

Cost

$$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: A focus on microlearning with consistently high-quality content.  Consistent use of quizzes throughout all courses.

Cons: Pricing is skewed toward annual subscriptions, which is far more content (and cost) than most learners need within a year.

Cost

$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Labs offer a means of gaining practical experience in technical skills.

Cons: There are no incremental quizzes or ways to test learners on specific topics.

Cost

$$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Udemy tends to be one of the more affordable options for individuals looking to learn specific technical skills.


Cons:
Highly inconsistent quality between courses.

Cost

$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Consistent, high-quality micro-content that focuses on practical exercises.

Cons: The catalog is somewhat limited compared to other vendors on this list.

Cost

$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Many free online classes are offered. Live online classroom experiences are offered for some of their courses.

Cons: Variable quality of courses, with some courses having relatively low quality.

Cost

$$$$$

Pros / Cons

Pros: Skillshare has a large library of courses related to creative skills.

Cons: Most courses are just a series of lectures with no interactivity, quizzing, or opportunities to practice concepts.

Cost

$$$

For more information, check out our detailed post on the best online course platforms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who uses Javascript?

JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages and is used by a wide variety of people and organizations, including:

  • Web Developers: JavaScript is primarily used by web developers to add interactivity and dynamic behavior to web pages. Javascript interacts with HTML (the structural components of web pages) and CSS (the way that structural components are styled) to change how pages look and act based on various inputs.
  • Front-end Developers: Front-end developers use JavaScript to create interactive user interfaces and improve user experience.
  • Back-end Developers: JavaScript can also be used on the server-side with technologies like Node.js to build scalable web applications.
  • Full-stack Developers: Full-stack developers use JavaScript on both the front-end and back-end to build complete web applications.
  • Mobile Developers: JavaScript can be used to develop mobile applications using frameworks like React Native.

Will Javascript become obsolete?

It is unlikely that JavaScript will become obsolete anytime soon. JavaScript is a widely-used programming language that is used for building web applications, mobile applications, server-side applications, and even desktop applications.

JavaScript is constantly evolving, and new features are added to the language regularly to keep up with changing trends and technologies. Furthermore, JavaScript is deeply integrated with the web platform and HTML, which means that it has a unique advantage over other programming languages in terms of creating interactive and dynamic web pages.

There are also many frameworks and libraries built on top of JavaScript, such as React, Vue.js, and Angular, that have become popular in recent years, further solidifying the language’s position in the development community.

Are Javascript and Java the same?

JavaScript is a scripting language that is primarily used for web development. It is executed in web browsers and allows developers to create interactive and dynamic web pages. JavaScript is a client-side language, meaning it runs on the user’s computer rather than the server.

Java, on the other hand, is a general-purpose programming language that can be used for a wide range of applications, from building desktop applications to developing enterprise-level web applications. Java is a server-side language, meaning it is executed on the server rather than the user’s computer.

Although the names of these two programming languages are similar, they are not related in any way.

Can public speaking be taught?

Yes –  public speaking can be taught. Many people are able to overcome their fear of public speaking and become effective speakers through training and practice. The courses on our list have all been vetted by experts and are excellent sources for training in public speaking.

Can Javascript be used for backend development

Yes, JavaScript can be used for backend programming using a platform called Node.js. Node.js is an open-source runtime environment that allows developers to run JavaScript code on the server-side. With Node.js, developers can use JavaScript to build scalable, high-performance web applications and server-side APIs.

Node.js has a large and growing ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, which makes it a popular choice for backend programming. Some popular frameworks for building web applications with Node.js include Express.js, Koa.js, and Nest.js.

It’s important to note that while JavaScript can be used for both frontend and backend programming, the syntax and concepts used in backend programming with Node.js may differ from those used in frontend programming with JavaScript.

Which Javascript framework should I learn?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best JavaScript framework for you to learn depends on your specific goals, interests, and experience level. However, here are some of the most popular and widely-used JavaScript frameworks that you may want to consider learning:

  • React: React is a JavaScript library developed by Facebook for building user interfaces. It has a large and active community and is widely used for building single-page applications (SPAs) and mobile applications.
  • Angular: Angular is a full-fledged framework for building web applications. It’s maintained by Google and provides a comprehensive set of features and tools for building large-scale web applications.
  • Vue.js: Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces. It’s lightweight, easy to learn, and has a growing community of developers.
  • Express.js: Express.js is a popular framework for building server-side applications with Node.js. It provides a simple and flexible API for building web applications and APIs.

How does Javascript work in the browser?

JavaScript works in the browser by being executed by the browser’s JavaScript engine. When a web page containing JavaScript code is loaded in the browser, the browser reads and interprets the HTML and CSS markup to create the visual layout of the page.

If the web page also contains JavaScript code, the browser will execute that code using its built-in JavaScript engine. The JavaScript engine parses the code line-by-line, converting it into machine-readable instructions that the computer can understand and execute.

The JavaScript engine can interact with the Document Object Model (DOM) of the web page, which represents the structure and content of the web page. JavaScript can manipulate the DOM, adding or removing elements, changing text, and responding to user events such as clicks and keystrokes.

JavaScript can also make requests to the server using the XMLHttpRequest object or fetch API, allowing it to retrieve data or resources from the server without having to reload the entire web page.