JavaScript: The Hard Parts, v2

• Gain a deep understanding of core JavaScript concepts such as callbacks, higher-order functions, closures, asynchronous operations, and object-oriented programming.
• Develop the ability to solve complex problems using advanced JavaScript features, improving both your coding efficiency and code readability.
• Learn to apply asynchronous JavaScript techniques effectively, utilizing promises, async/await, and Web APIs to handle tasks in real-time applications.
• Master the use of JavaScript classes and prototypes to create well-structured and efficient codebases that follow modern object-oriented programming principles.

This course takes you inside some of the most critical concepts of JavaScript, focusing on understanding rather than coding. Through detailed whiteboard diagrams and mental models, you'll explore how callbacks, higher-order functions, closures, and asynchronous JavaScript operate at a fundamental level. Designed for those with a basic to intermediate knowledge of JavaScript, this course will elevate your comprehension of the language's core principles.

• JavaScript developers with basic to intermediate knowledge looking to deepen their understanding of the language.
• Programmers seeking to enhance their skills in asynchronous JavaScript and modern programming techniques.
• Developers aiming to improve their problem-solving abilities using advanced JavaScript features.

• Basic to intermediate knowledge of JavaScript.
• Familiarity with basic programming concepts and syntax.

Introduction

• Overview of the course agenda and its purpose for different skill levels, highlighting improvements from previous versions.

JavaScript Principles

• Thread of Execution: Explore how JavaScript processes code using clear examples and precise language.
• Functions: Understand how functions define scope for execution and memory management.
• Call Stack: Learn about the call stack and its role in tracking JavaScript's execution flow.

Functions & Callbacks

• Generalized Functions: Discover how parameters enhance functionality through simple examples.
• Repeating Functionality: Analyze functions that utilize arrays as parameters and explore their practical applications.
• Higher Order Functions: Understand how functions can be restructured to accommodate multiple functionalities.
• Higher Order Functions Example: Examine solutions that generalize functions using arguments and functions as parameters.
• Callbacks & Higher Order Functions: Identify the roles of higher-order functions and callbacks, and their significance in asynchronous JavaScript.
• Arrow Functions: Explore how anonymous functions are used in arrow function instantiation and their impact on readability.

Closure

• Closure Introduction: Learn how closures are used in JavaScript and their potential to retain data after execution.
• Returning Functions: Understand how functions returning other functions can retain memory and provide extended functionality.
• Nested Function Scope: Discover the influence of definition and invocation on function scope.
• Retaining Function Memory: Analyze how functions retain their original local memory.
• Function Closure: Examine closure's capability to store data permanently and understand its hidden properties.
• Multiple Closure Instances: Learn about the effects of multiple closure instances on stored data.
• Practical Applications: Discuss real-world use cases of closures in helper functions, iterators, and more.

Asynchronous JavaScript

• Single Threaded Execution Review: Review how JavaScript executes code through a single thread.
• Asynchronicity in JavaScript: Explore challenges and solutions related to single-threaded execution in JavaScript.
• Asynchronous Browser Features: Learn about browser-provided features and facade functions in JavaScript.
• Web API Example: Understand how setTimeout and other APIs operate without violating JavaScript's single-threaded nature.
• Callback Queue & Event Loop: Dive into the concepts of callback queues and event loops, and their integration in JavaScript's execution.

Promises

• Promises Introduction: Discover the significance of promises introduced in ES6 and their impact on JavaScript development.
• Promises Example: fetch: Analyze how fetch calls work with APIs, using promises to handle asynchronous tasks.
• Web APIs & Promises Example: Explore complex examples combining web browser APIs and promises to manage tasks.
• Promises Review: Discuss the problems and benefits of promises, emphasizing error handling and execution management.

Classes & Prototypes

• Class & OOP Introduction: Understand the importance of classes and prototypes in creating structured and efficient codebases.
• Factory Functions & Examples: Learn about generalized functions and their limitations in codebases.
• Prototype Chain: Explore the prototype chain for accessing functions and its role in JavaScript's object-oriented system.
• this Keyword & Arrow Functions: Analyze how the this keyword operates in different contexts, including arrow functions.