31 Best JavaScript Books for Beginners & Experts in 2023
As programmers, we often don’t have much time for reading. We are fixing one bug over another one, and the deadlines push our time hard.
We struggle to find time for ourselves, time to relax, and time to feel the joy of learning, like when we started to explore the world of JavaScript.
That time can be found again in finding some quiet place with a cup of coffee, a notebook, and the best JavaScript books, that will enhance our understanding of JavaScript and fill our relaxing time.
What Are the Best JavaScript Books?
The best JavaScript books for you would be books that will help you as a front-end JavaScript developer or even backend JavaScript developer.
It should enhance your understanding of JavaScript itself to help you in your career. Below is the outline for the best JavaScript Books categorized based on your needs.
The Newest Best JavaScript Books in 2023
- The JavaScript Cooking Book: Learn JavaScript from the ground-up
- Simplified JavaScript for Very Important Programmers: The Fast Track to Mastering Essential JavaScript Concepts
- Mastering JavaScript Functional Programming: Write clean, robust, and maintainable web and server code using functional JavaScript and TypeScript, 3rd Edition
- Frameworkless Front-End Development: Do You Control Your Dependencies Or Are They Controlling You?
- Learning JavaScript Design Patterns: A JavaScript and React Developer’s Guide 2nd Edition
- JavaScript Crash Course
Best JavaScript Books of All Time
- You Don’t Know JS Yet Series ([old series](You Don’t Know Js))
- Composing Software: An Exploration of Functional Programming and Object Composition in JavaScript (online)
- Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming
- A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript. The new tech-assisted approach that requires half the effort
- JavaScript: The Definitive Guide: Master the World’s Most-Used Programming Language 7th Edition
- JavaScript: The Good Parts: The Good Parts 1st Edition
- Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide
Best JavaScript Books for Beginners
- Coding with JavaScript For Dummies
- JavaScript for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming
- JavaScript Absolute Beginner’s Guide 2nd Edition
- HTML, CSS & JavaScript in easy steps
- JavaScript in easy steps 6th Edition
- HTML, CSS, and JavaScript All in One: Covering HTML5, CSS3, and ES6, Sams Teach Yourself
- Learn Coding Basics in Hours with JavaScript
- JavaScript Coding for Teens: A Beginner’s Guide to Developing Websites and Games
Best JavaScript Books for Advanced Users
- JavaScript Patterns: Build Better Applications with Coding and Design Patterns
- How JavaScript Works
- Professional JavaScript for Web Developers 4th Edition
- JavaScript from Beginner to Professional: Learn JavaScript quickly by building fun, interactive, and dynamic web apps, games, and pages
- Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs: JavaScript Edition (MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
- JavaScript Data Structures and Algorithms: An Introduction to Understanding and Implementing Core Data Structure and Algorithm Fundamentals
- Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja 2nd Edition
Best JavaScript Books for full-stack development
- Modern Full-Stack Development: Using TypeScript, React, Node.js, Webpack, Python, Django, and Docker
- Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites (Learning PHP, MYSQL, Javascript, CSS & HTML5) 6th Edition
- Full Stack Web Development For Beginners: Learn Ecommerce Web Development Using HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP
Bonus: Best JavaScript Books for True JavaScript Lovers
The Newest Best JavaScript Books in 2023
#1 Simplified JavaScript for Very Important Programmers: The Fast Track to Mastering Essential JavaScript Concepts
Overview
Simplified JavaScript for Very Important Programmers is a book for developers who don’t want to waste any time and master the essentials part of JavaScript.
Highlights
- Author: Ebenezer Don
- Pages: 234 pages
- Gain a solid understanding of JavaScript.
- JavaScript syntax, data types, and variables.
- JavaScript operators, functions, arrays, and objects.
- Higher order functions.
- Building a Todo List App.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $11.99
- Paperback: $23.00
- Hardcover: $33.00
#2 The JavaScript Cooking Book: Learn JavaScript from the ground-up
Overview
The JavaScript Cooking Book is a quickstart book for acquiring essential skills in JavaScript. It is more of a beginner book about syntax, data types, operators, control structures, functions, arrays, objects, and more.
Highlights
- Author: Alex Casillas
- Pages: 180
- Beginner-friendly book from a senior software engineer.
- Best for starting a career in JavaScript.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: no
- Paperback: $25.00
- Hardcover: no
#3 Mastering JavaScript Functional Programming: Write clean, robust, and maintainable web and server code using functional JavaScript and TypeScript, 3rd Edition
Overview
Learn functional programming techniques in JavaScript and Typescript programming. This book will get a new 3rd edition release to a popular 2nd release.
Highlights
- Author: Federico Kereki
- Pages: ~420 (2nd edition)
- Master functional programming in JavaScript and Typescript.
- It will be published on June 9, 2023.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $38.39
- Paperback: $39.99
- Hardcover: no
#4 Frameworkless Front-End Development: Do You Control Your Dependencies Or Are They Controlling You? 3rd Edition
Overview
This book is more for advanced users who are looking for a framework-less development approach. The second edition can still be bought here.
Highlights
- Author: Francesco Strazzullo.
- Pages: ~265 (2nd edition).
- It provides you with the skills and freedom to consider a “no framework” approach.
- Topics like: rendering, DOM events, web components, routing, state management, and many more.
- It will be published on October 6, 2023.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: no
- Paperback: $49.99
- Hardcover: no
#5 Learning JavaScript Design Patterns: A JavaScript and React Developer’s Guide 2nd Edition
Overview
This book will show you how to apply modern design patterns to JavaScript and React.
Highlights
- Author: Addy Osmani
- Pages: ~254 (1st edition)
- Learn design patterns such as modules, mixins, observers, and mediators.
- Learn performance and rendering patterns, such as server-side rendering and islands architecture.
- Learn modern architectural patterns like MVC, MVP, and MVVM.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: no
- Paperback: $60.78
- Hardcover: no
#6 JavaScript Crash Course
Overview
This book is a fast-paced introduction to programming in JavaScript.
Highlights
- Author: Nick Morgan
- Pages: 304
- Develop an understanding of key coding concepts.
- Learn how to do web-page interactivity by manipulating the DOM.
- Learn drawing graphics with Canvas.
- It will be published on August 29, 2023.
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $28.79
- Paperback: $34.99
- Hardcover: no
Best JavaScript Books of All Time
#1 You Don’t Know JS Yet Series (Old series)
Overview
The most well know best JavaScript books about JavaScript. It’s more for a developer who already knows JavaScript and wants to go deep to the core of understanding JavaScript under the hood. They are also available online for free. Kyle also has very good courses on FrontendMasters.
Highlights
- Author: Kyle Simpson
- Pages: 140 (book 1), 279 (book 2)
- Released: 2020
- A must-have book for pure professionals.
- Learn JavaScript to the absolute core.
Pricing and Format
- Online: free here
- Kindle: $22.74
- Paperback: $24.95
- Hardcover: no
#2 Composing Software: An Exploration of Functional Programming and Object Composition in JavaScript (online)
Overview
This book is about composition how to break complex problems into simple ones using compositional techniques. The book covers functional and object-oriented programming in JavaScript. The book started as a series of articles here.
Highlights
- Author: Eric Elliott
- Pages: 254
- Released: 2018
- Learn function and object composition.
Pricing and Format
- Online: free
- Kindle: no
- Paperback: $39.06
- Hardcover: no
#3 Eloquent JavaScript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming
Overview
The best-selling introduction to programming in JavaScript. The book covers all the JavaScript language, Browser implementations, and basics in NodeJS. Aside from a great theory, you will also create three different projects: A robot, A programming language, A platform Game, A pixel art editor, and A skill-sharing website.
Highlights
- Author: Marijn Haverbeke
- Pages: 472
- Released: December, 2018
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $22.93
- Paperback: $17.01
- Hardcover: no
#4 A Smarter Way to Learn JavaScript. The new tech-assisted approach that requires half the effort
Overview
This book solves the retention problem of forgetting everything you read. Aside from the book on the author’s web, you can complete 20 interactive exercises where the algorithm will check your work. The author promises it’s better than reading and much more fun. Written especially for beginners.
Highlights
- Author: Mark Myers
- Pages: 254
- Released: 2014
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $9.59
- Paperback: $9.00 – $19.95
- Hardcover: no
#5 JavaScript: The Definitive Guide: Master the World’s Most-Used Programming Language 7th Edition
Overview
The most giant book in this category. With 704 pages, you will learn JavaScript from the basics to the master detail level. It also covers NodeJS. The book has a 25-year-old history and is now in its 7th edition, updated to modern standards.
Highlights
- Author: David Flanagan
- Pages: 704
- Released: 2020
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $40.87
- Paperback: $25.65
- Hardcover: no
#6 JavaScript: The Good Parts: The Good Parts 1st Edition
Overview
Bestseller on Amazon in functional software programming. Douglas shows us the good and elegant parts of JavaScript, like syntax, objects, functions, inheritance, arrays, regular expressions, methods, style, beautiful features.
Highlights
- Author: Douglas Crockford
- Pages: 176
- Released: 2008
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $9.06 – $15.61
- Paperback: $7.06 – $13.69
- Hardcover: no
#7 Head First JavaScript Programming: A Brain-Friendly Guide
Overview
A brain-friendly guide to teach you from JavaScript fundamentals to more advanced topics like objects, functions and document object model. Easy explained challenging concepts like closures, and prototypes.
Highlights
- Author: Eric Freeman, Elisabeth Robson
- Pages: 700
- Released: 2014
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $13.20 – $44.39
- Paperback: $43.00 – $49.31
- Hardcover: no
Best JavaScript Books for Beginners
#1 Coding with JavaScript For Dummies
Overview
No experience? No problem! This book is focused on absolute beginners. You will start from the very beginning, through the basics, and then you’ll start building your first projects right away.
Highlights
- Author: Chris Minnick, Eva Holland
- Pages: 368
- Released: 2015
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $21.53
- Paperback: $16.95 – $18.89
- Hardcover: no
#2 JavaScript for Kids: A Playful Introduction to Programming
Overview
This book teaches programming essentials with step-by-step examples with funny illustrations. You will gradually then move to draw graphics with canvas. As a BONUS, you will create a real user-controlled games with collision detection and scorekeeping.
Highlights
- Author: Nick Morgan
- Pages: 336
- Released: 2014
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $25.19
- Paperback: $28.28
- Hardcover: no
#3 JavaScript Absolute Beginner’s Guide 2nd Edition
Overview
This book is for people who never programmed before. You will learn how to create powerful web and mobile experiences. You will go through all the basics up to big ES6 changes.
Highlights
- Author: Kirupa Chinnathambi
- Pages: 464
- Released: 2019
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $18.47
- Paperback: $34.99
- Hardcover: no
#4 HTML, CSS & JavaScript in easy steps
Overview
The book has an easy-to-follow style. It covers HTML, CSS and JavaScript together. You will learn how to display text, images, lists, tables, hyperlinks, forms, audio, and video.
Highlights
- Author: Mike McGrath
- Pages: 480
- Released: 2020
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $24.59
- Paperback: $20.49
- Hardcover: no
#5 HTML, CSS, and JavaScript All in One: Covering HTML5, CSS3, and ES6, Sams Teach Yourself
Overview
The book covers modern HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript ES6. On 800 pages, you will go from fundamentals to professionally coded web pages.
Highlights
- Author: Julie Meloni, Jennifer Kyrnin
- Pages: 800
- Released: 2018
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $21.59
- Paperback: $23.61 – $35.99
- Hardcover: no
#6 Learn Coding Basics in Hours with JavaScript
Overview
The book is designed for absolute beginners. It promises to teach you to code in less than a day. They also offer training bootcamp on their site learncodinganywhere.com.
Highlights
- Author: Jack C. Stanley, Erik D. Gross, The Tech Academy (Author)
- Pages: 120
- Released: 2017
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $1.19
- Paperback: $3.99
- Hardcover: no
#7 JavaScript Coding for Teens: A Beginner’s Guide to Developing Websites and Games
Overview
The book is for teens to get everything they need to get started with JavaScript. Reading age is from 13 years old to 18. The book includes beginner-friendly lessons, a variety of uses like building a website or games, and practical practice.
Highlights
- Author: Andrew Yueh
- Pages: 202
- Released: 2022
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $11.99
- Paperback: $19.54
- Hardcover: no
Best JavaScript Books for Advanced Users
#1 JavaScript Patterns: Build Better Applications with Coding and Design Patterns
Overview
The book answers the question: “What’s the best approach for developing an application with JavaScript?”. It is for experienced developers who look for JavaScript coding patterns and best practices. Written by Senior Yahoo! Technical expert.
Highlights
- Author: Stoyan Stefanov
- Pages: 236
- Released: 2010
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $11.91 – $20.51
- Paperback: $9.38 – $17.99
- Hardcover: no
#2 How JavaScript Works
Overview
This book wrote the same author of the book JavaScript The Good Parts. This time Douglas goes more under the hood of how things in JavaScript, like strings, numbers, floats, arrays, objects, and others actually work.
Highlights
- Author: Douglas Crockford
- Pages: 279
- Released: 2018
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $22.80
- Paperback: $23.99
- Hardcover: $37.03 – $49.73
#3 Professional JavaScript for Web Developers 4th Edition
Overview
This is the ultimate JavaScript guide for professionals on a 1200-page long book. Written for intermediate-to-advanced programmers. The 4th Edition is updated to cover the news in ECMAScript 2019. It is the most comprehensive JavaScript reference available anywhere.
Highlights
- Author: Matt Frisbie
- Pages: 1200 (it’s not a mistake!)
- Released: 2019
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $32.40
- Paperback: $30.49
- Hardcover: no
#4 JavaScript from Beginner to Professional: Learn JavaScript quickly by building fun, interactive, and dynamic web apps, games, and pages
Overview
Learn the fundamentals and advanced features of JavaScript. Build fun projects like a password checker, paint web app, hangman game, and many more. The book includes more than 100 fun exercises and projects.
Highlights
- Author: Laurence Lars Svekis, Maaike van Putten, Rob Percival
- Pages: 546
- Released: 2021
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $22.19
- Paperback: $27.55 – $33.29
- Hardcover: no
#5 Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs: JavaScript Edition (MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science)
Overview
Would you like to study at MIT, but it’s beyond your capabilities? Or do you hate the first version of LISP? Then you can read this phenomenal book completely rewritten for JavaScript! The first edition from 1984 has influenced computer science curricula around the world.
Highlights
- Author: Martin Henz (Adapter), Tobias Wrigstad (Adapter), Harold Abelson (Author), Gerald Jay Sussman (Author), Julie Sussman (Contributor)
- Pages: 640
- Released: 2022
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $46.79
- Paperback: $51.33
- Hardcover: no
#6 JavaScript Data Structures and Algorithms: An Introduction to Understanding and Implementing Core Data Structure and Algorithm Fundamentals
Overview
This book will teach you how to implement data structures like hash tables, linked lists, stacks, trees, queues, and graphs. Also, you will learn the practical application of these data structures like encryption, sorting, searching, and pattern matching.
Highlights
- Author: Sammie Bae
- Pages: 378
- Released: 2019
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $40.79
- Paperback: $44.99
- Hardcover: no
#7 Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja 2nd Edition
Overview
The book goes through practical examples to illustrate each core JavaScript core concept and technique. Also, it offers best practices like testing, cross-browser development, and how to avoid JavaScript application pitfalls.
Highlights
- Author: John Resig, Bear Bibeault, Josip Maras
- Pages: 464
- Released: 2016
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $42.48
- Paperback: $39.43 – $44.99
- Hardcover: no
- Audiobook: free with Audible trial
Best JavaScript Books for a Full-Stack Development
#1 Modern Full-Stack Development: Using TypeScript, React, Node.js, Webpack, Python, Django, and Docker
Overview
The book is a multilanguage purpose book about React, Node, Python, Django, TypeScript, Webpack, Docker and how they all fit together. You will learn how to construct a project with NPM and Webpack, utilize client-side and server-side development, employ REST APIs, and deploy apps using Docker.
Highlights
- Author: Frank Zammetti
- Pages: 525
- Released: 2022
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $18.00 – $44.99
- Paperback: $48.49
- Hardcover: no
#2 Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Dynamic Websites (Learning PHP, MYSQL, Javascript, CSS & HTML5) 6th Edition
Overview
In this 6th edition book, you will learn core technologies like PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, CSS, HTML5, jQuery, and the powerful React library. You will build a fully functional social networking site perfect for both desktop and mobile browsers
Highlights
- Author: Robin Nixon
- Pages: 823
- Released: 2021
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $47.87
- Paperback: $21.01 – 41.99
- Hardcover: no
#3 Full Stack Web Development For Beginners: Learn Ecommerce Web Development Using HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP
Overview
If you are more interested in PHP (because you love WordPress), then this book could be good for you. It is written for beginners who want to start their carrier as full-stack web developer. It covers technologies like HTML5, CSS3, Bootstrap, JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP.
Highlights
- Author: Riaz Ahmed
- Pages: 392
- Released: 2021
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: no
- Paperback: $35.00
- Hardcover: no
Bonus: Best JavaScript Books for True JavaScript Lovers
#1 If Hemingway Wrote JavaScript
Overview
If you like romantic authors like William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Dan Brown, and others, or if you are looking for a perfect gift for a JavaScript developer, this is his ideal present. It’s all about how these authors will likely write JavaScript code today. And it’s a lot of fun to read it!
Highlights
- Author: Angus Croll
- Pages: 192
- Released: 2014
Pricing and Format
- Kindle: $14.39
- Paperback: $24.99
- Hardcover: no
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a programming language that is mainly used in every browser. It is one of the core technologies of the World Wide Web. JavaScript these days is also used on the server as a NodeJS.
Summary
I provided over 30 books I think are the best JavaScript books up to 2023. As I wrote at the beginning of this article: buy a book, get your favorite cup of coffee or tea, sit in a quiet place, and relax with your best javascript books. If you are more interested in the Best Web Development Tools, you can read my other post here.
