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Learning JavaScript

I have spent the past year learning bubble and I have gotten proficient in using it. I would like to continue on my learning journey by learning Javascript programming.

I wonder if knowing how to build a web app in Bubble will give me head start in learning how to write JavaScript code.

Can someone who knows how to write code in Javascript and make Bubble apps give me some direction on the obvious similar concepts. As far as I know bubble generates JavaScript code so this is why I am asking.

Hope this makes sense
Jack

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Jack - is it fair to guess that you are not familiar with programming in general?

If so I would recommend taking any number of “introduction to programming” courses that exist on the web. You can find ones that start with javascript but honestly the language doesn’t really matter*.

I can tell you what to expect.

  1. Becoming a programmer is not a step function where you are not a programmer one day and then you’re a programmer the next. You’re always learning. So dont get discouraged when there is something you dont understand after that course. Thats normal. No one knows everything. But you will quickly reach a place where you get the general picture.

  2. There is a separation between programming and designing a program. Learning to program is easy. Learning to design programs well is harder. And this is where bubble comes in. Bubble has a predefined design in mind which is good but you still have to make good program design decisions to make a good bubble program. You can certainly make bad decisions and make your bubble life very hard. These skills also apply with regular programming. So if you enjoy the program design part of bubble then this skill / passion will transfer well. As a metaphor - programming is like knowing how to hammer together 2x4’s but program design is about the architecture of the building.

  3. Bubble pulls together three very useful things in websites. The interface, the logic/decision making aka workflows, and the data. Bubble takes these separate elements and blends them together to make a cohesive platform upon which you can work. When programming and specifically when programming websites you actually build / design these separate components individually. As a metaphor - bubble makes a car and you drive the car around to wherever you want to go. When programming - you make the car first then drive it around. So you have way more control about what the car looks like, how it works, etc but you still have to a build a car. So expect when you start learning that you will working on more foundational layers. Your first program wont be a website. It will be how to spit out some text like Hello, World!

  4. The best way I have seen people learn how to program is the stumble forward method. Learn a little bit then use it. learn a little then use it. Give yourself a mini project. You’ll make lots of mistakes - and its the mistakes that actually teach you.

*This asterix/exception is really that depending on your aspirations … if you’re goal is to become a programmer - you might be more interested in learning a language like C first instead of javascript. Or at the very least eventually learning C. C is a lower level language when compared to javascript - and when learning C you will learn more about what the hardware is doing than when you learn javascript. This, as a general rule, will make you a better programmer. TBC its not necessary but it helps. Also the syntax of C is very similar to javascript - in no small part because javascript syntax is indirectly based on C.

Hope this helps. Good luck. Reach out if you have any more questions. Im always happy to help people dive deeper into tech.

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Hi Joe,

Yeah your right I have no experience coding.

I appreciate you time spent writing out your informative response here and I have defiantly taken it on board.

I was thinking learning JavaScript would give me a lot of new abilities to implement into my bubble apps. Since reading your response I will just keep pushing bubble as far as I can until I run into a problem that I need custom code to solve!

Cheers,
Jack

I would recommend learning to offload your backend with Firebase in a custom plugin.

Then create a crud app with user auth.

Then tie in google oauth and token handling

Do them both. The only only issue are the headaches you’re bound to deal with. Do one, you’ll still have headaches but at least it’s in 1 domain only. I’d do bubble first. Then if you can push it to the max with bubble only, start tying in JavaScript with small lessons and plugin building.

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kudos :+1: :+1: :+1: @PineappleJoe for such a quality response with a really nice tone.

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I am also started learning the basics of HTML, CSS & JS recently. I would suggest you get started with basic courses from freecodecamp and start utilizing your learning in existing bubble apps like plugin development or CSS tweaks in your app etc.

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