Book Recommendations

Share your thoughts on that must-have JavaScript (or other) book on this page.

JavaScript: The Good Parts

Most people don’t know that JavaScript is the most widely distributed language platform in the world that includes powerful features such as closures, lambda functions, and prototype-based inheritance. This new book by Douglas Crockford is very short and focuses on only the good parts of the language that you should use. Most of the rules he presents here are followed throughout SproutCore. This will give you a new appreciation for the language of JavaScript. (a proper review can be found here)

RECOMMENDED BY: Charles Jolley (okito), Erich Ocean (onitunes)

Pro JavaScript Design Patterns

With Pro JavaScript Design Patterns, you’ll start with the basics of object–oriented programming in JavaScript applicable to design patterns, including making JavaScript more expressive, inheritance, encapsulation, information hiding, and more. With that covered, you can kick–start your JavaScript development in the second part of the book, where you’ll find detail on how to implement and take advantage of several design patterns in JavaScript, including composites, decorators, façades, adapters, and many more.

RECOMMENDED BY: CodeOfficer

JavaScript: The Definitive Guide

This is the only JavaScript reference I keep permanently on my desk. I’ve never had a JavaScript question I couldn’t find the answer to in this book. Highly recommended as a reference.

RECOMMENDED BY: Erich Ocean (onitunes), Douglas Crockford

JavaScript: The Complete Reference, Second Edition

The Definitive Guide is absolutely necessary, but sometimes I need example code and The Complete Reference does that. It is not a bad reference either.

However, both The Complete Reference and The Definitive Guide pre-date the focus on the Good Parts of JavaScript like objects, etc. These books are scripting or reference oriented.

RECOMMENDED BY: Ray Daly

Secrets of the Javascript Ninja

Still in development but available through Manning Early Access Program…

“The untold secrets of the elite JavaScript programmers distilled for intermediate JavaScript programmers, bringing them completely up to speed with the challenges of modern JavaScript development. Explores specific techniques, strategies, and solutions to developing robust, cross-browser, JavaScript code.”

RECOMMENDED BY: Will Bailey

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