r/learnjavascript • u/dagger-vi • Aug 03 '22
I have just completed The Complete JavaScript Course 2022 by Jonas Schmedtmann !!!
Wow. I'm so proud of myself! In January of this year I started making my way through both freeCodeCamp and The Odin Project. I also bought this course after seeing someone recommend it. I was progressing through TOP and fCC and doing other things until April 11th, which is the day I officially started this course. Between then and now I have been making my way through the course and continuing on other random projects. There have also been times where work got in the way of me doing any programming, and needing to take mental breaks and focusing on myself for a few days.
But now today I can say for the first time I have officially fully completed any JS course. In the beginning of the course I took a lot of notes and did a lot of studying and practicing what I learned. When I got around to the array section where I learned about array methods I stopped taking notes and decided to just code along. When I got to the forkify section I did have some difficulty. I did understand most of the coding, but a lot of things Jonas did was confusing to me. The biggest hurdle being, this is the first time Jonas ever used multiple JS folders to organize his code, and I had a kind of difficult time wrapping my head around why certain functions went inside certain folders, but I know with more time and practice it will make more sense to me.
Now the real fun begins. I want to start making more projects. I've tried making bigger projects in the past but always failed at them and went back to tutorials. I need to hone my skills and get better with using arrays, async, Promises, APIs and more intermediate stuff, that way I never have to go back to following a tutorial again.
I have designed many small projects already, like a calculator, BMI calculator, a todo, a weather app, a simple budget app and more, but I have never done anything bigger than that.
If anyone has any recommendations of projects I can look into starting, I'd love to hear them! The more challenging the better.
Apologies. I originally intended to make this post with just a few sentences but my excitement got the best of me. I made myself my own promise and told myself that this is the last year I will ever work in retail. And now that I have completed this course, I can now work on creating a portfolio and make that promise come true for myself.
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u/Macaframa Aug 03 '22
Something I’m doing right now is creating an app to support the business that I’m building. I’m going to be renting small electronic items to a certain group. Not to be too cryptic but the engineering problem that I am solving right now is pretty cool. The small electronic device will have a QR code on it. Embedded in the QR code’s data will be a link with a unique hash that has a bunch of data about the item. Where it’s from, what store it’s located, what brand it is, how much it costs to rent as well as a unique id that can be decoded from that hash. The url link where the QR code takes you will pass the hash to my site where it begins a checkout flow where you can rent said item for a few hours to use it.
You should try building the qr code portion that leads to a site you built with an item located there. That would be great. When you show a potential employer just email them a bunch of QR codes and ask them to scan them with their phone.
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u/dagger-vi Aug 03 '22
You should try building the qr code portion that leads to a site you built with an item located there. That would be great. When you show a potential employer just email them a bunch of QR codes and ask them to scan them with their phone.
That's brilliant. I'd love to do something like that. I actually purchased my first domain name a few days ago so I can start creating a portfolio. Thanks for the idea! And good luck on your app!
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u/Macaframa Aug 03 '22
Thank you. Good luck. Landing that first job is about wowing an employer. Sometimes simple little useful stuff is interesting and more impressive than building something large from a tutorial.
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u/joojle_it Dec 14 '22
could you please simplify this I would like to try this but could not understand how it works
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u/Macaframa Dec 15 '22
you can generate QR codes with this js library: https://davidshimjs.github.io/qrcodejs/ You can customize it but in the text field it needs a link. You can generate links to your web app like www.myapp.com/item/${someHash}
someHash is a variable that is calculated using JavaScript’s onboard base64 encoding and decoding api.
const itemToBeEncoded = { name: “chair”, imgUrl: “www.chair.com”, price: “$.99”, } const base64EncodedItem = window.btoa(JSON.stringify(itemToBeEncoded));
// build QR code and append this hash to it.
Then to decode it
const decodedHash = JSON.parse(window.atob(base64EncodedItem));This will take the hash and turn it back into a stringified version of the object and then you parse it into js with JSON.parse
Now you see how you can build an object with js from an item, encode it so you can add that link to a QR code, then from the QR code link it will take you to a page where you retrieve the hash and decode it and you have all of the information you need to render a page. Maybe you could fire off an api request to the server requesting the item’s availability. That’s a relatively lightweight request.
I hope this makes sense
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Aug 03 '22
Congrats, man! That's a tough one to get through due to its length, but it was literally monumental in starting my dev career.
In fact, I accredit this course to me landing my first job, as I utilized some things I specifically learned in this course in the take-home project for the company for which I now work. When I got it, it was $12.99 and the best investment of my life. I wish you luck in your journey as well!
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u/dagger-vi Aug 04 '22
Thank you! That $12.99 was a small price to pay. I thought the course was like 55 hours, and then at the end I realized it's actually 69 hours + a few hours for the code challenges. So a good 70 - 80 hours of content.
What was your first job and how is it going?
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Aug 04 '22
I love it. I've been here a year now and am looking to the future! Honestly, I'm ahead of some of the other team members in regards to JavaScript, and I totally owe it to this course. When others need some JS help, they will sometimes come to me, which is a great feeling.
Definitely worth the whole thing. I wish you luck!
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u/mendecj812 Aug 06 '22
What did your profile look like when you started applying to jobs?
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Aug 08 '22
Honestly, not too sharp. I built my portfolio page in react and used framer-motion to animate some page transition and also included some custom-built canvas elements with some cool effect, and then listed a few simple projects I did like a mock bakery app with shopping cart, a weather app that gets your location, and other minor things like that.
To be quite honest, not really sure how i got their attention in the first place, but my take-home assignment really got me the job, so thank goodness for that.
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u/chimpoforevah Sep 12 '24
What was it like the first week on the job? Did they slowly throw things at you? Did they give you a mentor or send you through more specialized training? How scary was your first assignment? How much did they expect you to figure out from the get-go? Did imposter syndrome immediately come after you when you couldn't do something? Did everything look alien at first, and if so, how long did it take for you to acclimate to the codebase?
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u/OverAir4437 Jun 20 '24
Hi brother, what position you applied for and got hired? Was vanilla js the only thing you know about when you got hired? What projects did you have back then?
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Jun 20 '24
Hey there. At the time of firrst employment I pretty much only knew html, css, javascript, and enough react to create a portfolio. No backend whatsoever. As far as projects, I think I had a small bakery store that didn't even have real payments, a Netflix clone that I really just followed a tutorial on, and a weather app. Nothing spectacular. I think I relied more on personally just reaching out to recruiters and hiring managers and just try to let my personality show to get them to like me. It's worked twice so far. lol.
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u/krushinskyguitars Aug 03 '22
Great job, mate! I am following same course and currently learning how to build "Pig game" very fun and so far I can say that I do understand what I am doing. Also following his html/css course at the same time . 😀
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u/Retrofire-Pink Aug 03 '22
Why not develop a rudimentary 8-bit game like Pac-Man, or if your feeling ambitious The Legend of Zelda?
Or perhaps come up with your own idea!
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u/dagger-vi Aug 03 '22
That's something I would love to do. I was working on a Pokemon clicker game before I started Jonas' course, but I didn't get very far because I had no idea what I was doing. I will definitely start working on a game-related project as soon as I come up with the right one.
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u/Honest_Monitor_2989 Aug 03 '22
This made me smile! I’m a qualified physiotherapist doing a career Change and am currently doing the same course on udemy. I’ve been dabbling in coding since 2020 because my husband works in the industry and I found what he was doing so fascinating.
This was really what I needed to read today. So happy for you !!
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u/dagger-vi Aug 04 '22
Thank you! That's the reason I made this topic. I know a lot of people on this board are going through the course and I just wanted everyone to know it's worth the many, many hours it takes to go through it! Good luck on your career change and I hope you continue your programming career!
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Nov 17 '22
How long did it take you
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u/dagger-vi Nov 17 '22
Hi! The course took me 4 months, watching 1 - 2 hours per day. Sometimes skipping days or sometimes working on other projects. If youe've just started: good luck! Take your time. The course is great but you need to practice everything you learned.
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Nov 17 '22
I am 3/4 . Will be done soon . What have practiced since?
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u/dagger-vi Nov 18 '22
After I finished I felt like I could make any project. I was wrong. I struggled to complete everything I set my mind to. The reason was I only ever coded along and wasn't thinking for myself. After a few failed projects I thought learning about databases would fix all my problems. I started learning MongoDB and picked it up pretty quickly but I was still struggling a lot after that.
Then I started doing stuff like Codewars but had a tough time figuring out what seemed like basic problems and I would feel bad, stress myself out and then google the answer.
Around September is when I got back into The Odin Project. This was the best decision I ever made. I realized programming is more than just coding, and learning how to break down projects into small problems is what I was missing. I used to tackle entire projects all at once but now I take my time and see the bigger picture.
Ever since returning to The Odin Project, which I briefly started before doing Jonas' course, I have created a calculator, a landing page, a signup page, a library, restaurant menu and tic tac toe. All of these projects have taught me so, so, so much more than I learned working on Jonas' course. And I wasn't just coding along or looking up answers, I was putting in the effort and figuring everything out on my own. Don't get me wrong, Jonas' course is amazing and if I could take it back I wouldn't. Getting the cert. at the end was a very proud moment for me and in starting the course I made a Discord and have made a lot of great programming friends.
My advice is to complete the course but don't feel bad if you felt like you haven't learned anything. You have, you just need to know how to put that knowledge to use. I also recommend going through The Odin Project because it focuses more on doing the projects on your own. I typically have put about 10 hours into each project (some more) and the majority of that time is making mistakes and learning. I'm working on making a Todo currently and have already spent about 5 hours working on it and I'm not even close to being done. And if you would like to join my Discord let me know. It's not as active as it used to be but if you need help someone will respond fairly quickly.
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u/FanExpensive9928 Apr 26 '24
Hi there!! How’s your career going on? I always planned to learn js but never had time for lessons “job/kid/wife/etc/“ but 2 weeks ago I broke my leg 😂 and now I’ve got plenty of time now! I now it’s a marathon learning JS but now I have to sprint and become a master and 4/6 months. Any advice I started Jonas course I’m at the pig project, reading some MDN docs. Does anyone have other advices to accelerate the process?
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u/dagger-vi Apr 27 '24
Best thing to do is come up with your own projects. Watch some tutorials to understand the basics and go from there. Start small and gradually improve your projects over time. I also highly recommend going through The Odin Project which helped me. Good luck.
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u/climb-high Aug 03 '22
Can confirm this course is great. Amazing teaching style. Doesn’t just type out code and say “that’s how you do X”
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u/plaregold Aug 03 '22
It's the best course on udemy for beginners looking into web development. The popular and highly rated Angela Yu Complete Web Development course is very superficial by comparison and definitely not worth the "18k" price tag their boot camp is based on. It's a money grab-- you're not job ready coming out of that curriculum and that should be the expectation given the price tag.
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u/climb-high Aug 03 '22
I have no idea what you're going on about with a money grab, but I agree that Jonas' course is the best on udemy for beginners.
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u/plaregold Aug 03 '22
Angela Yu states her bootcamp that her Udemy course is based on is priced at 18k and that's definitely a money grab since her course really doesn't make students job ready. That is what I meant.
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u/klausigner Feb 12 '26
Bro, I'm just concluding the 2025 version and it has been amazing.✨
(First ever comment on Reddit btw🌚)
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u/dagger-vi Feb 12 '26
that's great! glad you're enjoying it! how far are you into it?
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u/klausigner Mar 08 '26
Now done with it and I'm already diving into Backend with Node JS and Express JS and I must say, Jonas really laid a solid foundation in that course. I've been finding it easy to grasp and put in practice.
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Aug 03 '22
What was the reason for stopping TOP? Did you feel doing the TOP helped in this course? How’s it different? How ready do you feel to apply for jobs after finishing the course?
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u/dagger-vi Aug 04 '22
I got pretty far into the JavaScript section in The Odin Project. I remember struggling with the Etch a Sketch project, and then out of no where it hit me what I needed to do. That was a great feeling. I just needed a small break from it. But that small break ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would be. I just really wanted to complete Jonas' course. I kept hearing great things and figured I should start it. I will pick back up where I left off with TOP one of these days! Same with freeCodeCamp.
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Aug 04 '22
Just started this course!! Bought it after I saw your post actually!!! It’s so good I’m learning so much from it already, it’s great so far and the assignments look a lot of fun to make plus they look amazing!! I can’t wait to start making big projects after I knowing what Im doing! 😁
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u/dagger-vi Aug 04 '22
nice! I'm glad I could help. tag me if you post an update on your progress on here or something. one thing I will tell you is to take your time with it because there is no rush! and taking breaks is fine. there have been times where I went a few days without watching any videos and when I came back I was more enthusiastic than ever. I wish you the absolute best of luck!
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u/West_Advice_2375 Dec 09 '22
Hey, I know its been awhile; I keep coming back to this page and wondering how you doing today.. Any updates on your learnings? (Your post was one of the reason I started javascript! Currently studying for 2weeks now: Im in jonas's class as well and learning objects right now.)
Also a follow up question, there were code challenges on Jonas' course.. How well were you doing with them? Did you get them right before watching the actual video for the answer? Thank you so much! :D
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u/dagger-vi Dec 10 '22
Hi! Yes it has been a while since I've made this post. Thank you so much for commenting. It made my night!
I can tell you with an absolute fact that when I finished the course I was still a beginner but at the time I thought I was beyond that. For a few months I struggled to complete any project. I would come home from work, turn on my computer and stress myself out for not knowing what to do next.
Finally after much debate with myself I made the decision to return to The Odin Project. The main thing I was lacking was direction and returning to The Odin Project changed all of that. Now I have a clear goal ahead of me. I'm close to the React section and my goal is to be there by January. After I do a few projects in React, I plan on getting serious about looking for a job in web development. I want to be able to look at a recruiter in the face and say that yes I have experience with React.
I'm also looking into contributing to open source projects which is another thing I'm lacking.
If you're talking about the pause video things then I believe I did get most of them right but some times I just ignored it and kept watching through the video. My advice to you: Don't do that! Take notes on anything you don't understand. if you still don't understand it then find other sources to clear things up for you. Don't half ass the course like I started doing towards the end.
Keep going! Complete the course! You will be so glad when you're finished. Take your time though because It's not a race. DM me if you have Discord I will add you to a JavaScript group I'm part of. It's not super active or anything but a few of us still talk.
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u/West_Advice_2375 Dec 10 '22 edited Dec 10 '22
Heyy! I didnt expect you to reply, but I'm so glad you did! Your story was so inspiring to me; I will get to the odin project right after I'm done with Jonas' course (I am actually studying right now XD) . I kind of want to follow the same path but with a little bit of my exploration of course!
Yeah all I can say is I'm really enjoying javascript! i have never been so genuine in wanting to learn something before. I enjoy his challenges a lot! It kinda helps me how to structure my own codes and how to solve the problems.. The reason I asked you was I was trying to see if you're doing it so well but then you still got lost after the course. If it makes sense? haha cuz otherwise why the heck am I wasting my time on the challenges. Nevertheless, I still love doing the challenges and I think it would help me in the future!
For discord, I would love to join please :) Will dm you! Thanks again for replying back; I will certainly look and take notes of what you shared to help me carve my pathway.
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u/dagger-vi Dec 10 '22
I was just studying right now too! I tend to get online around midnight pacific time. Well, it's a great path! I highly recommend it. The Odin Project is way more project oriented and I feel like going through Jonas course really helped me prepare.
The challenges can seem like a waste of time but they are there to make sure you understand the code you're learning. In the beginning you can quickly get through them because it's common sense but when you get deeper into the course you'll end up spending more time on them. It's great practice!
Reading posts like yours helps keep me motivated so thank you!
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u/joojle_it Dec 14 '22
I am gonna check this post every week until you land a job
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u/idexteir Dec 29 '22
I'm about to finish section 1 and already having so much fun.
Is this course really takes you from beginner to expert ? what would you rate it from 0-10 and what do you think is still missing ?
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and I really can feel the excitement :)
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u/dagger-vi Dec 30 '22
Unfortunately no, you will not be an expert by the end of the course. You will still be a beginner. But that's okay! Don't rush through it and just take your time. For me I lulled around for a few months after finishing the course until I got back on track and now I'm advancing through The Odin Project and I'm doing so much better. My #1 2023 goal is to have a job in programming by the time summer comes around. Stick with the course until the end but make sure you know what you're going to do after. I recommend something project based like The Odin Project because all that experience from the course will come in handy. Good luck and keep me updated!
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u/idexteir Dec 30 '22
I'm planning to complete this, complete HTML and CSS by Jonas as well, then I think I will start The Odin Project based on your recommendation. I'm actually learning Java for web development, building websites related to my job (Oil Industry) and for amusement :P
I thought this course would be enough for now till I can decide the next step, but who knows it might even change my life. Good luck bro and sure I will keep you posted.
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u/Omargamal1011 Feb 14 '24
Hi,im thinking about taking the course as to start a fullstack web dev journey, would you still recommend it?
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u/dagger-vi Feb 15 '24
Hello. Yes, I would still recommend it. It taught me the basics better than any other tutorial. But you need to make sure you start doing your own projects along the way. Afterwards I highly recommend The Odin Project which will get you a lot more familiar with web dev. Good luck on your journey.
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u/chimpoforevah Sep 12 '24
dagger, I seen you moved on from self-taught software dev. Did you ever finish TOP and apply? What didn't work out?
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u/dagger-vi Sep 12 '24
Hello. I didn't really "move on". I'm currently going to school to get my degree in computer science while also studying for the CCNA. I felt this was the better path for me because of how difficult the job market is right now. I'm on hold in terms of applying however after I get my CCNA I plan on applying to IT jobs while continuing my education.
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u/chimpoforevah Sep 12 '24
How far did you get into the Odin Project?
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u/dagger-vi Sep 12 '24
I fully completed it. Took me about 9 months I think.
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u/Spitefulmutant_ Aug 22 '25
Hi, congrats! Just curious on average how many hours you were studying daily to finish in 9 months. I'm starting TOP soon and would also like to finish in around 7-9 months, planning to study 4-5 hours a day.
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u/dagger-vi Aug 22 '25
Hello. Thank you! I think around 1-2 hours per day. More on my days off. I'd have studied more but working a full time job prevented that. Good luck to you!
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u/Mehroz_Aliiii Feb 15 '24
Hey, I am also starting it. Thankyou for your guidance. Where can I get this course for free?
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u/zachmsdev Aug 03 '22
Congratulations! The thing that seemed to help me the most was actually building projects from start to finish. I was jumping around too much for awhile. Once I started completing them and repeatedly getting stuck and figuring out the problems myself(stackoverflow) was when info seemed to sink in and I could notice the most improvement. Have fun.
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u/lissie5am Aug 05 '22
For others who want to take this course, some public libraries offer FREE access to Udemy courses as part of their digital collection. They don't allow you to comment or interact with the instructor, but you get access to all of the recordings and other resources provided by the instructor.
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u/Life-Passage-775 Oct 14 '22
Congratulations and thank you for sharing. Currently I'm in section 12, still a long way and studying an hour per day as I cannot more. Hope to finish the course by the end of the year :) All the best to all !
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u/vchv01 Apr 01 '23
I finished the course in February of this year, but it was rushed and exhausting . The course was really good, but the problem was that it was too long, and I was burnt out trying to complete it.
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u/vit_the_jedi Aug 03 '22
I’ve had his course since last year. I’m a full time web developer so it’s been tough to really carve out time to finish. I’m on section 10 - I have learned an incredible amount form his course so far
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u/evangelism2 Aug 03 '22
Its a great course. I stopped at the forkify project as I did my own thing, and wanted to move onto react as I wasn't interested in building a modern app without a modern framework/library. However it was a great course that gave me the foundation I needed to move forward.
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u/SharpGroup9319 Aug 03 '22
congrats! Did you complete the Odin project? Or is that next?