Beginner JavaScript by Wes Bos

Free

Learn JavaScript from Scratch

FreeFree tier

Type

Open Source

Visit Website GitHub (40 stars)

About Beginner JavaScript by Wes Bos

Beginner JavaScript is a comprehensive online course by Wes Bos that teaches JavaScript from scratch. It covers modern JavaScript fundamentals (ES6+) without using confusing conventions like foo/bar. The course features real-world projects such as face detection with censorship, audio visualization, an image gallery, an Etch-a-Sketch, an async/await prompt UI, a web speech game, a dad joke fetcher, and a recipe search. It is designed for absolute beginners to intermediate developers who want a solid understanding of JavaScript before moving on to frameworks. The course videos are skip-able, and all code is open source and available on GitHub. Wes Bos is a full-stack developer, speaker, and co-host of the Syntax podcast.

Key Features

Rock-solid understanding of JavaScript fundamentals

No foo/bar, baz, or confusing conventions

Real-world projects: Face Detection, Audio Visualization, Image Gallery, Etch-a-Sketch, Async+Await Prompt UI, Web Speech Game, Dad Joke Fetcher, Recipe Search

All course code open source and posted on GitHub

Skip-able videos; jump around as needed

Modern JavaScript (ES6+); no distinction between old and new JS

Designed for absolute beginners; assumes basic HTML and CSS

Taught by experienced developer and teacher Wes Bos

Pros & Cons

Pros

Absolutely beginner-friendly; no prior JavaScript experience required
Project-based learning with fun, real-world examples
Open source code allows hands-on practice and modification
Taught by Wes Bos, a respected developer and co-host of Syntax podcast
Videos are skip-able so you can focus on what you need
Covers modern JavaScript best practices and tooling

Cons

Course is not exhaustive; it's energizing rather than covering every method in detail
May be too basic for advanced developers already comfortable with JavaScript
Video-based learning; no interactive coding environment included

Best For

Learning JavaScript fundamentals from scratchImproving JavaScript skills for better framework usage (React, Node, Vue, Angular, etc.)Building interactive web projects with practical exercises

FAQ

How is this course different from JavaScript30?

Beginner JavaScript teaches everything about JavaScript from scratch, while JavaScript30 is almost entirely exercises that assume you already know JavaScript. Beginner JavaScript uses exercises to cement concepts but also dives deeper into how things work, gotchas, best practices, and tooling.

How is this course different from ES6.io?

ES6.io was created to update existing JavaScript developers' skillsets, whereas Beginner JavaScript is from scratch. Beginner JavaScript does not differentiate between ES6, ES7, etc.—it's all modern JavaScript. There is no need to take the ES6 course after this one, but if you have taken ES6, you'll still learn plenty in Beginner JavaScript.

Who is this course for?

It is for absolute beginners to intermediate developers who don't feel totally comfortable. No JavaScript experience is required, but basic HTML and CSS knowledge is assumed. It is also useful for those who have gaps in their skill set or want a refresher.

What projects will I build?

You will build projects including Face Detection + Censorship, Audio Visualization, Image Gallery, Etch-a-Sketch, Async+Await Prompt UI, Web Speech Game, Dad Joke Fetcher, and Recipe Search.