JavaScript: what to learn?

[sinatra roger]

Hello All,

I am currently looking to learn technologies that will help me build a career as a web developer (primary interest is in javascript). Took up the complete web developer course in Udemy and am halfway through it.So far, I have learned the basics of Javascript and went through the Jquery for dummies book and I think I can build some basic websites. I was just about to dig deeper into Jquery attempting to build something like a complete web app or a game written in it which was when I saw in the great WWW that Jquery is almost dead and it would be much better off learning newer JS based technologies.

Before resuming the rest of the course in Udemy(which covers PHP, wordpress, twitter bootstrap, mySQL and Python), I would like to dig deeper into Javascript and related things.

But here comes the big question. What exactly to learn and in which order?

There seems to be tons of stuff to be covered. Node.js, angularJS, ember.js, react, redux .. Oh my GOD!! My head is reeling

The first step I am gonna be doing is complete the "ES6 Javascript: The Complete Developer's Guide" in Udemy. But where to go from there after that? What to learn? AngularJS or NodeJS? I really don't know.

Can the expert JS developers here please guide on how to proceed?

[Pete Letkeman]

I am not an expert but I can hopefully help by asking you some questions.

Are you interested in server side technologies e.g. Node, PHP, MySQL, Python?
Are you interested in client side technologies BootStrap, AngularJS (client and server), EmberJS (client and server)?

More and more often one needs to know at least some server side and some client side technologies and you will see/hear of the Mean or Metor, or the Lamp stack.
Server side technologies are more associated with back end technologies.
Where as client side technologies are more associated front end development and user experience/interface (UX/UI).

Generally speaking you need your hardware to be a big stronger/better/faster to handle the server side technologies.

If you are wondering what job will be there when you are done learning?
First of all you should never stop learning. Not only is this good for your career prospects, but this helps your mental health and slows or postpones some mental deterioration as you get older.
Then I suggest that you look into some of the free sites like Indeed, Monster, Workopolis, LinkedIn and see what jobs you find for the technologies you are learning or about to learn.

[Bear Bibeault]

NodeJS is a server-side JavaScript environment. jQuery (not Jquery), AngularJS, and React/Redux are client-side technologies.

jQuery is still widely used and knowing it will not hurt your career. It's also a good environment in which to get used to using JavaScript as a functional language.

Outside of that, both AngularJS (usually with TypeScript) and React/Redux (usually with ES6) are the current frameworks at the forefront. Trends show that AngularJS is losing some steam to React, but, again, it cannot hurt to be at least familiar with it.

It is true that the front-end ecosystems change much more rapidly than those of us familiar with the Java backend ecosystem are used to. It can be daunting and frustrating. But look at it this way: you'll never be bored!