Are you looking to make your own program or want to create a website from scratch? Chances are, you will be using JavaScript for these tasks. But, how long does it take to learn JavaScript? Like any language, even the language that we use now requires a lot of time, especially if you don’t have any background in other scripting languages.
So, again, how long does it take to learn JavaScript? The short answer is about a year. But this is just the very basics of JavaScript and granted that you have a bit of knowledge of other languages, such as HTML and CSS. However, if you are looking for complete mastery of JavaScript, it will take years.
The History of JavaScript
Before diving deep into JavaScript, it’s important to find out where it came from in the first place. Surprisingly, programming languages actually started during the 1800s. But JavaScript came out only during the 90s as a scripting language.
As a scripting language, JavaScript uses an interpreter instead of a compiler. However, during the following years, JavaScript became a full-blown programming language, joining the likes of C++, Perl, and Python.
Uses of JavaScript
Back then, JavaScript was used to validate forms but now it has come to have many uses. It’s no wonder why it is a sought-after skill as it offers many advantages if you understand and know how to use Javascript. Here are some of its uses:
Web Design
JavaScript is one of the most popular scripting languages used for the creation of websites. It can add details to a website, such as zooming on an image to playing a video or audio on a web page. It can be used for displaying animation or adding drop-down hamburger menus. There are thousands of possibilities when you use JavaScript for designing a web page.
Apps
You might be surprised that a number of apps on your phone are actually built with JavaScript. Some of the most popular apps made with JavaScript include Facebook, Netflix, Uber, and LinkedIn. It’s one of the features of JavaScript to be simple and complex at the same time to offer engaging and interactive elements to users.
Now, these apps are not exclusive to mobile phones or tablets. There are also many applications for smartwatches that make use of JavaScript, which just shows how versatile this language is.
Games
Yes, JavaScript can also be used in making popular games that you probably might have played on your mobile device. One of the most addicting games that came out for mobile—Candy Crush—used JavaScript. The game was easy to use and had a framework that was as simple as navigating the Facebook app. At the same time, the use of JavaScript allowed players on Candy Crush to engage with other players on social media.
Benefits of Using JavaScript
Since the code runs on the client-side with JavaScript, this presents a number of advantages for you. For one it is quite quick and can reduce website server demands. JavaScript is very popular and is used by a lot of other webs and apps and it works nicely with other coding or programming languages.
A lot of people prefer JavaScript as it is quite easy to learn, some even think of it as a fun language. And just like other languages, JavaScript is alive, meaning it is still growing. JavaScript is changing, which can also be a drawback as it means full mastery requires continuous learning.
One of the best things about JavaScript is it isn’t a heavy program. You can run it on just about any operating system, even on a Windows Vista and on UNIX. However, if you want smooth programming all the way, you might be interested in getting the best laptop for web development.
Conclusion
With all of the uses and benefits of using JavaScript, it’s no wonder that it takes a while to fully master this programming language. So, how long does it take to learn JavaScript exactly? Again, just learning the very basics of this programming language will require around 6 months to a year. And this time frame is actually for those who already have a background in other programming and scripting languages.
Just like with learning other languages, the easy part is memorizing the words or translating them to the language we already know. But when it comes to the application, that’s where the real understanding starts. So, with JavaScript, the real hurdle in learning the language is actually using it. You can memorize all of the strings, variables, and commands but if you don’t put them into practice, you won’t be actually learning JavaScript. Again, for complete mastery of the JavaScript language, it will take years and you have to keep in mind that there’s always something new or an update that will pop up.
