Sure, there’s no magic programming language you need to learn first (we covered how to figure out the right “first programming language” for you here), but, when you’re getting started in web development, there ARE some languages you’ll definitely need to learn eventually. And on the top of that is: JavaScript! And YES, you can learn JavaScript for free online.

What IS JavaScript? You can read a whole lot more about it in our Tech 101: What is JavaScript guide, but for now, here’s a TLDR refresher:

JavaScript is a scripting language used to create and control dynamic website content, i.e. anything that moves, refreshes, or otherwise changes on your screen without requiring you to manually reload a web page.

That includes things like:

• animated graphics
• photo slideshows
• autocomplete text suggestions
• interactive forms

You know, the kinds of things that are standard features on just about every website you visit or mobile app you use. And THAT’S why you need to learn JavaScript.

Plus, it happens to be THE skill you need to learn if you want to become a front end developer.

If you’re wondering how long it will take you to learn JavaScript? Here’s the great news: Learning JavaScript will take a lot less time than you might think, AND you can start learning the basics for free.

We’ve put together a brand new list of the best ways to learn to JavaScript for free in 2023. Below you’ll find 50 online JavaScript classes and resources for every learning style, commitment level, and career goal. Take your pick, and you’ll learn JavaScript in no time (or 1-3 months to be realistic).

Table of Contents

1. General JavaScript Classes and Tutorials
2. JavaScript Frameworks and Libraries
3. JavaScript Books
4. JavaScript Blogs
5. Back End JavaScript
6. Advanced JavaScript
7. JavaScript Video Tutorials

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General JavaScript Classes and Tutorials

1. Learn-JS.org

Aptly named, Learn-JS.org is a repository of JavaScript tutorials for complete newcomers AND experienced programmers alike. Whether JS is your first coding language or your third, this is a great place to start learning the basics for free.

2. Learn JavaScript

From Learn-JS.org, we move to another no-brainer spot for JavaScript edification—Learn JavaScript. Sign in with a free Github account and get access to lessons, flashcards, interactive challenges, and more.

3. MDN JavaScript

MDN is behind the Firefox web browser, but they’re also known for hosting great free tutorials and documentation for all things web-related…and that includes a free JavaScript tutorial section as part of their Web Docs series.

4. JavaScript for Cats

Are you a cat lover who wants to learn how to code with JavaScript, but you’ve given up on finding a platform that combines both things? Well, we have a surprise for you! JavaScript for Cats is a whimsical (but effective) JavaScript tutorial written from a cat’s point of view. Yes, this is serious.

5. Microsoft Channel 9: JavaScript Fundamentals and Development for Absolute Beginners

Microsoft’s Channel 9 is a community site that hosts video discussions, podcasts, and free courses. Including (you guessed it), this free course for JavaScript beginners.

6. Codecademy Introduction to JavaScript

Codecademy is an online learning platform that offers free coding classes in programming languages including Python, Java, Ruby, SQL, C++, HTML, CSS…and JavaScript! You can check out their JavaScript intro course here.

7. w3schools JavaScript Tutorial

w3schools is a free online learning platform dedicated to coding and web development. It’s also been around a lot longer than most other online platforms, meaning it has a long, reputable track record of teaching coding basics. If it’s JavaScript you’re looking for, try their JavaScript tutorial.

8. Sololearn JavaScript Tutorial

Sololearn is a coding tutorial platform designed specifically for phones and other mobile devices. If you want to learn JavaScript on the go try this highly structured (and portable!) offering from Sololearn.

9. JavaScript Essentials (Udemy)

Udemy is an online learning marketplace, hosting 130,000+ user-created courses on all kinds of topics (including over 2,000 coding-related classes). Udemy’s offerings are a mix of paid classes (costing $20-$200 per course) and plenty of free coding classes, including some shorter Tech 101-type courses that teach coding for beginners. This free JavaScript Essentials course is a perfect example.

10. GA Dash

GA Dash is a free learning platform sponsored by the paid coding school General Assembly. The free GA Dash course teaches JavaScript basics (along with HTML and CSS) in a user-friendly and interactive way, all with the same level of quality as other paid GA classes. It will absolutely get you started.

11. Coursera

Coursera is an online learning platform that hosts content from top universities, including over 100 coding classes. And the best part? All of Coursera’s classes are free to audit! Including this curated collection of JavaScript courses.

12. EdX

EdX is another university-backed online learning platform with content from schools like Harvard and MIT. Like Coursera, many of EdX’s classes are free to audit, including classes on different programming languages, including this JavaScript Introduction course.

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JavaScript Framework and Library Tutorials

If you need a refresher on the nuances of what JavaScript frameworks and libraries are all about, please read our complete guide on the subject here. And if you’re ready to dig into some JS framework and library-specific tutorials, check out the list below.

13. Reactarmory

Looking to get familiar with JavaScript libraries? Then React JS is must-learn. But if you want to learn React, where do you go? To a React armory, of course! This particular Reactarmory has got you covered with their Learn React By Itself tutorial.

14. Scrimba Learn React for Free

Scrimba.com’s Learn React for Free course is a collection of 48 interactive screencasts dedicated to React JS.

15. Codecademy Learn React JS

Codecademy is back on our list with their free Learn React JS tutorial.

16. Udemy

Not to be outdone, Udemy is also back on the board with this free React Fundamentals course.

17. jQuery.com

jQuery isn’t the newest or trendiest JavaScript library out there, but it’s still a mainstay in the JavaScript world. What better place to learn all about it than from these tutorials at the official jQuery site.

18. EdX JQuery

If you want to compliment the material over at jQuery.com, edX offers this free Introduction to jQuery course.

19. VueJS.org

Vue JS is a popular JavaScript framework that, like jQuery, has a wealth of tutorial content available directly from the official VueJS.org website.

20. Thinkster.io A Better Way to Learn Angular

If you’re ready to get hands-on with the widely used JavaScript framework Angular, head on over to this guide from Thinkster.io.

21. Coursera Angular

And you can round out your JavaScript framework knowledge even further with this Front End JavaScript Frameworks: Angular class from Coursera.

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JavaScript Books

Does reading a textbook feel like a more comfortable proposition than sitting or scrolling through a whole tutorial? We get it! And that’s why we put together a list of free JavaScript textbooks that you can start digging into right now.

22-27. You Don’t Know JS Book Series

You Don’t Know JS is a series of six books published by the technology and business training giant O’Reilly Media. You’re certainly free to buy each of these books in print if that’s your thing, BUT if you’re operating on a budget, they’re available to read for free online. This series, which aims to take users from the basics of JavaScript all the way to the hardcore nuts and bolts, includes:

• Vol 1:Get Started—a look at programming and JavaScript basics
• Vol 2: Scope & Closures—a first lesson in more intermediate JS specifics
• Vol 3:Objects & Classes—a deep dive into JavaScript objects and classes
• Vol 4: Types & Grammar—a lesson in using JavaScript’s syntax

That all looks like a lot (and it is!), but the beauty of having this entire series available for free means you can come back and consult any of these volumes at any time during your own JavaScript journey.

28. JavaScript Enlightenment

This free online tome is a self-described combination book, reference guide, and cheatsheet, aimed at developers working with React, Vue, or Angular code. Through usable code examples and contextual links, JavaScript Enlightenment will teach you how to make the libraries and frameworks mentioned above play nice with contemporary JavaScript.

29. Eloquent JavaScript

If “cut and paste” code samples aren’t your thing, then check out Eloquent JavaScript. EJ is a JavaScript textbook that makes a point of adding both style AND substance to its instructions and examples…and you can read the digital version right here for free.

30. Human JavaScript

Learning JavaScript might seem intimidating, but there’s something to keep in mind: it’s ultimately a tool created by people for people. Human JavaScript is a textbook that explores some of JavaScript’s most “human-friendly” aspects and looks at how to use them to master the language.

31. The Modern JavaScript Tutorial

The Modern JavaScript Tutorial is a text that starts with the basics, then steps up gradually into more advanced material as you move along. If you’re a total beginner who wants to go the book route, this is the one for you.

32. Programming JavaScript Applications

While JavaScript is a powerful tool for building dynamic websites, it can also be used to create mobile applications. This textbook walks you through the best practices and techniques for building web applications with JavaScript technologies like JSON and NoSQL.

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JavaScript Blogs

Blogs are a great source of constantly updated information, amirite? I mean, you ARE reading one right now. And if you’d like to hop from this blog to blogs that cover technical JavaScript FAQs, check out some of our recommendations.

33. David Walsh Blog

Dave Walsh is a Senior Software Engineer for Mozilla (the people behind the Firefox web browser) and a Core Developer for the MooTools JavaScript Framework…meaning he knows a thing or two about JavaScript, and happily shares tips and tricks on his blog.

34. Smashing Magazine

Smashing Magazine is a website and publisher dedicated to all things web development and web design. JavaScript certainly falls under that umbrella, and what do you know? Smashing Magazine has an entire section on their site dedicated to JavaScript content.

35. 2ality

2ality is a blog maintained by JavaScript author Dr. Axel Rauschmayer, featuring a wealth of deep dives into the JavaScript language.

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Back End JavaScript Tutorials

JavaScript is most commonly known as a front end programming language—used to build the visible parts of a website that people see on their screen. But through the magic of the Node JS framework (and others like it), JS can move out of web browsers and into back end development. If you want to know more about how to turn JavaScript into a powerful back end tool, try these server-side related JS tutorials.

36. NodeSchool

NodeSchool, a website dedicated to open source Node JS workshops, also features a free tutorial section on their website. If you want to learn more about using Node, check it out.

37. w3schools Node JS Tutorial

w3schools covers a LOT of free tutorial ground, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that they’re back with a tutorial on how to use Node JS.

38 . Coursera Server-Side Development with NodeJS, Express, and MongoDB

This edX class on server side JavaScript development covers Node JS, and throws Express and MongoDB (two more back end tools) into the mix.

39. Guru 99 Node JS Tutorial: Learn in 3 Days

Guru99 promises to school you on the basics of Node JS in just 3 days with this clearly laid out tutorial.

40. Tutorialspoint Learn Node JS

This free Node JS course from Tutorialspoint is another thorough, cleanly laid out guide to Node JS basics.

Advanced JavaScript Tutorials

Free beginner JavaScript tutorials are great…when you’re a beginner. But does that mean the free resources dry up once you’ve learned a thing or two about JS? No way! Free advanced resources abound, and we’ve rounded some of them up for you here.

41. John Resig Learning Advanced JavaScript

Ready to get super hands-on with advanced JavaScript techniques? Check out this advanced interactive tutorial from John “The Creator of jQuery” Resig’s website. You have the opportunity to study code samples, and then edit them yourself to see if you can write similar code that works.

42. HTMLdog Advance JavaScript Tutorial

Once you’ve got your JavaScript basics down, the next step will be finding a free JavaScript tutorial like this one from HTMLdog.com, focusing on more advanced JS practices and techniques.

43. WebGL Fundamentals

WebGL is a JavaScript graphic library that allows developers to render 2D and 3D graphics directly in a web browser. This tutorial will show you the fundamentals of this advanced JavaScript tool.

44. Learning JavaScript Design Patterns

Learning JavaScript Design Patterns is an advanced JS textbook published by O’Reilly Media (and available to read for free online). Its focus is reusable JavaScript solutions for common software design problems.

45. Speaking JavaScript

Speaking JavaScript is another advanced O’Reilly Media textbook (free to read online) that covers JS for learners who are new to the language, but have prior programming experience in languages like PHP, Ruby, or Python (sidestepping some of the REAL basics that are necessary for learners with no programming experience at all).

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JavaScript Video Tutorials

Online classes, tutorials, digital books, blogs…what if you just want to sit back and learn from the lilting tones of a YouTuber? Well you can do that, too! Here’s a list of JavaScript video tutorials that will put you on the path to dynamic web content in no time.

46. Learncode.academy JS tutorial

This multi-video tutorial is designed for total JavaScript beginners, covering things like JS variables, if/else statements, functions, arrays, and more.

47. Freecodecamp.org Learn JavaScript: Full Course for Beginners

Ready to learn JavaScript? For free? In 134 parts? Then hop on board Freecodecamp.org’s beginning JavaScript video course. You’ll learn everything you need to know about JavaScript basics, and the video curriculum uses extra large fonts to make it ideal for mobile viewing.

48. Learn JavaScript in 1 Hour

Does spending an hour to learn JavaScript sound more your speed than slogging through 134 video clips? If so, the Programming With Mosh Youtube page features this free one hour crash course that probably won’t teach you everything, but it will get you prepped and ready for more.

49. Eduonix JavaScript and jQuery Web Development Tutorial

If you’re in the market for a video tutorial that covers JavaScript AND jQuery fundamentals, Eduonix’s free offering would like to see you now.

50. JavaScript Tutorial For Beginners—Complete Course

This brisk, 3 hour video tutorial will introduce you to beginning JavaScript concepts, and show you how to build a complete website using JavaScript and Angular.

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