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I’d recommend checking out “A Smarter Way To Learn JavaScript.” It’s an easy read with clear explanations and even has exercises to practice at the end of each chapter.

A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript. The new tech-assisted approach that requires half the effort https://www.amazon.com/dp/1497408180/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_iJfvDbBD0VNSZ

codecademy.com also has a ton of great resources, many of which are free, that you code along with the exercises. I’m a big fan of this site because you’re not watching videos, you’re actually going through the motions and typing everything out yourself.

Try a few different approaches from a mix of resources. For me, it helps to the hear the same concept a few different times in different ways in order for it all to click.

Good luck!

If I could do it all over again, I would:

1. Buy HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites by Jon Duckett
   
   
2. Buy JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development by Jon Duckett
   
   
3. Build stuff. I cannot emphasize this enough - I literally can't, Reddit won't let me. But this is where the rubber meets the road. You can read all the books you want; take all the tutorials but nothing will grow your skills quite like developing something from scratch.
   
   
4. Know this: being a front-end developer means you will always be learning (and if you're not, time for a new job). Good luck!
   
   ** I am not Jon Duckett but I do love his books.

Are you a visual learner?
There’s Jon Duckett’s HTML & CSS

I would say this book is an oldie, but a goodie because even though this was published almost 8 years ago, it’s a good book to learn the fundamentals and it has good visual aids that go along with the concepts being taught.

There’s also Jennifer Robbins’s Learning Web Design

This book teaches you HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It’s a good book, it has plenty of exercises and from my experience, it’s a good reference book for concepts.

Definitely agree, it's hard to get these concepts to stick unless you've used them. I've struggled with JavaScript in the past but I'm currently reading Head First JavaScript from O'Reilly and I find it's suuuper helpful because it explains everything clearly with good examples and also has you code along with it to help you really grasp the concepts.

Learn pure JavaScript. It will not only help when learning new frameworks but will also help you to realise that frameworks are not always necessary and by understanding them better, will not rely on them as a crutch.

From my perspective, these two books helped me "level up" from jQuery to full-blown JS developer:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/JavaScript-Good-Parts-Douglas-Crockford/dp/0596517742
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Learning-JavaScript-Design-Patterns-Osmani/dp/1449331815

I am also a member of Udemy, which has a great selection of courses to work through.

Once you understand JavaScript without frameworks, just pick up a framework and start playing with it. Do the tutorials or pick your own goal/application to build with it. I find I learn more than doing something rather than simply reading about it.

Most of the answers already say to start learning JavaScript, which I agree with. I'd worry less about learning libraries, and start learning plain vanilla JavaScript. A good book if you're interested is JavaScript: The Good Parts. I'd then move onto jQuery, and from there you'll be able to get the gist of most libraries.

At our company, our front-end people all do JavaScript, although some of them started where you're at with backgrounds in just HTML & CSS. We have a lot of emails coded, which can't have JavaScript, so that could be a good fit for you if you're not looking to expand your skills.

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software doesn't use JS for it's examples, but is highly regarded in learning design patterns.

Also, Mastering JavaScript Design Patterns is pretty good, and if I recall correctly, is modeled after the first book I mentioned. Heads up, there is a more up to date 2nd edition of this book available (linked version is 1st edition)

First year comp. science student here! I'm also maintain and write for my own website, am currently in part-time employment as a front-end developer for a start-up in London, and have written a book.

Even if you're taught anything about web development at university, it will most likely be wrong. Here's a slide from one of my lectures a while back. The HTML is invalid in multiple ways, there's a syntax error, and he's not separating his HTML and PHP, which is bad practice. In later lectures, he has given us code examples with major vulnerabilities (CSRF, XSS, SQL injection), and we're nearing the end of the module.

I made a complaint and was told that it's probably not worth it because it would take a couple years to change the course. That pretty much sums up why I don't think university is a good place to learn web development—in two years, even stuff that was best practice two years ago might not be relevant any more.


Teach yourself! If you get good enough, you don't need a degree (although it might be different outside the UK). I talk to plenty of people who want me to drop out of university and work for them. Having a degree doesn't mean shit to a decent employer, especially with courses being as bad as they are. You won't be able to learn JavaScript through a university, because it is continually changing. The last version of the language, containing some pretty big changes, was released three years ago, and there's another version on its way out right now.

You mentioned you know HTML and CSS. Now, learn JavaScript! Check out Speaking JavaScript, which is available for free online, and is very good.

Start with the book "Don't Make Me Think" (the latest edition) and Google's Material Design. They're good introduction to visual design for digital interfaces. Then learn basic design foundation theories, these are things that all type of designers need to know. Learn the tools designers use such as photoshop (or Sketch), Illustrator, Axure, etc. Then find projects to practice on and get designers to critique your work as much as you can. Designing "in a way that is pleasing to the human eye" is something you learn through trial and error.

I'm the opposite of you. I'm a designer who wants to get better at front end coding (html/css/javascript). I will review and critique your designs, if you are willing to do the same for my code. PM me if you want partner up. This offer is also open to any coders out there, by the way.

Well, the most important books that I read when learning design were:

• Grid Systems
  
• The Visual Display of Quantitative Information
  
• The Elements of Typographic Style
  
• Making and Breaking the Grid
  
  All of those would be a good start.

The Little Schemer was a good read when I wanted to learn about recursion. It cleared everything right up =) Only the first few chapters are necessary:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Schemer-4th-Edition/dp/0262560992

Sorry for the troubles. I think surgery can play a number on you emotionally sometimes.

Have you read Cal Newport’s Deep Work? Great book on staying focused and getting more done in less time.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1455586692/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_HkCwDbT349AWC

Technically, architecture. Objects and arrays and all the neat stuff you can do with them. Learn about the Constructor Object, how to structure code. This book, I recommend it.

>Am I alone in feeling this way?

Nope. I'm a 33 year old frontend dev with 3 years of experience. I'm working for a company, making good money for the area, but we've only got two, simple sites. One I built last year and we're getting ready to launch a completely overhauled version of our flagship site. Once the site goes live next month, all that's really left for me is to maintain it and possibly a few internal web projects. The only other dev in the company is my boss, who is the CTO and too busy to really mentor me.

So I've been job hunting because I've become complacent and stagnant in my skills and I want to be more marketable if they ever decide they don't need a full-time web developer. The problem is, I was a junior developer with less than a year experience before starting here. Since then, I've just been working on websites in Bootstrap with very limited interactivity in OctoberCMS... something that's probably not going to impress any future employers.

Since my portfolio is empty, I've just made a pact with myself to try to finish 2-3 small, side-projects a month until the right job opening comes along. Like, you, my logic is weak, so I've been reading "Think Like a Programmer", which I think is helping.

You should read this book

A couple days late, but this book is a must-read on this topic:
https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Code-Handbook-Software-Craftsmanship/dp/0132350882/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522625510&sr=8-1&keywords=clean+code

I have 3:

• 4k 27'' LG: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MQEGC8N
  
  
• 27'' LG: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XFGCKL6
  
  
• 27'' Asus: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B17C5KO
  
  
  The 4k is in the middle and the other 2 are each on each side, the setup left to right is: -Sketch/Adobe -Vim -Chrome
  
  3 monitors is 10/10 for frontend imho