1 Before you buy the book

1.1 About the content

1.1.1 What’s in this book?

This book makes JavaScript less challenging to learn for newcomers by offering a modern view that is as consistent as possible.

Highlights:

• Get started quickly by initially focusing on modern features.
• Test-driven exercises available for most chapters.
• Covers all essential features of JavaScript, up to and including ES2022.
• Optional advanced sections let you dig deeper.

No prior knowledge of JavaScript is required, but you should know how to program.

1.1.2 What is not covered by this book?

• Some advanced language features are not explained, but references to appropriate material are provided – for example, to my other JavaScript books at ExploringJS.com, which are free to read online.
• This book deliberately focuses on the language. Browser-only features, etc. are not described.

1.2 Previewing and buying this book

1.2.1 How can I preview the book and its bundled material?

Go to the homepage of this book:

• All chapters of this book are free to read online.
• Most material has free preview versions (with about 50% of their content) that are available on the homepage.

1.2.2 How can I buy a digital version of this book?

The homepage of Exploring JavaScript explains how you can buy one of its digital packages.

1.2.3 How can I buy the print version of this book?

An older edition of Exploring JavaScript is called JavaScript for impatient programmers. Its paper version is available on Amazon.

1.3 About the author

Dr. Axel Rauschmayer specializes in JavaScript and web development. He has been developing web applications since 1995. In 1999, he was technical manager at a German internet startup that later expanded internationally. In 2006, he held his first talk on Ajax. In 2010, he received a PhD in Informatics from the University of Munich.

Since 2011, he has been blogging about web development at 2ality.com and has written several books on JavaScript. He has held trainings and talks for companies such as eBay, Bank of America, and O’Reilly Media.

He lives in Munich, Germany.

1.4 Acknowledgements

• Cover image by Fran Caye
• Thanks for answering questions, discussing language topics, etc.:
  • Allen Wirfs-Brock
  • Benedikt Meurer
  • Brian Terlson
  • Daniel Ehrenberg
  • Jordan Harband
  • Maggie Johnson-Pint
  • Mathias Bynens
  • Myles Borins
  • Rob Palmer
  • Šime Vidas
  • And many others
• Thanks for reviewing:
  • Johannes Weber