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I recently received the book Javascript The Definitive Guide 4th edition, which covers version 1.5. I wondered if it is still valid to learn the core of language.
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That issue must be quite out of date (I say "should" because I didn’t read it). It is based on version 3 of the language standard (Ecmascript 3, "Javascript 1.5" is this plus some exclusive Mozilla extensions).
The edition is from 2001, and a lot has changed since then. In 2009, Ecmascript 5, revised in 2011 as Ecmascript 5.1. These editions are retroactively compatible with the 3, but learning JS today based on version 3 would encourage bad habits that are falling into disuse. Nowadays, I would strongly recommend looking for a book version that is based on ES6 (also called ECMA-2015), or at least ES 5.1.
Looking at the contents of the fourth edition, chapters 2 to 10 deal with the core of language. A lot of the topics covered there still apply today, but if you’re going to rely on them to learn the language, it’s good to consider some changes introduced by ES5 (and still valid in ES6):
- New arrays methods (in Array prototype.)
- New possibilities for working with heritage via
Object.create. Change of approach regarding the possibilities of language OOP (syntactically there was not much change, but the practices changed in this period) - ES5 ensures more browser compatibility than the previous version of the specification. Therefore, several topics on compatibility in the book should be outdated.
- Among others, this list is not exhaustive.
In the following chapters, which deal with the Apis implemented in the browsers (mainly those of the DOM), there have been even greater changes since 2001. If I understand correctly, the fourth edition of the book does not even deal with Ajax.
PS: Even more so with the tags you originally used in the question. In 2001, jQuery and Angularjs didn’t even exist!
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I recommend going to a book that covers more solid resources, tips and tricks. So you can implement thinking about production and continuous growth. If you have questions about the most basic the internet already has a lot of material about it. Starting with something more consolidated you can then go on to use more robust features like Node.js, angular.js, Meteor.js and etc.
I recommend you start with this book, it is very good and many JS developers use it as manual. Portuguese version for purchase:
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Yes, I have the book and it was exceptional for my Javascript learning. The book (as the author himself says in the first pages) is directed mainly to the public who never had any contact with the language, it addresses simple programming topics and advances to each chapter until the advanced levels (not so advanced).
Unfortunately, or fortunately for me, Javascript is changing to Ecmascript 6, which implies that all current books will not be complete anymore. Many interesting features of Ecmascript 6 are not even mentioned in current books, so what you should keep in mind is: - want to learn Javascript now (the way it is) and then update yourself with the news or wait a little longer and already study the current subject?
If you want news you can start by reading the following book https://leanpub.com/understandinges6/read it is being written and so is always updated with the news.
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You read the same fourth edition, or a more recent one?
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Mine is the fifth edition, it shouldn’t be so different.
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@Renatotavares if it came out a new edition should make all the difference.
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Yes, there seems to have been quite a change from the fourth to the fifth edition: http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596101992.d.
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Don’t you think we can give an objective answer to this question? It’s okay that mine isn’t that kind of thing, but it tries to show the facts about what was asked. By the way, I edited my answer to take what I had of opinion.
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