5 replies to this topic

[ReMorseCoder]

Hey guys -

I'm new to programming (currently 26 and bored to tears with journalism, so I'm attempting to switch careers eventually) and wondering what my next step should be. I'm fairly comfortable with (X)HTML and CSS for now, but have a few questions.

1) Would you recommend learning Javascript before jQuery as a beginner? I know that the former is the foundation for the latter, but there seems to be a mixed bag of opinions. From what I understand, jQuery performs the majority of functions that Javascipt does and is easier to grasp, but a person's bound to run into a conundrum sooner than later if they only know JQ.

2) I know the answer's not etched in stone somewhere in a programming Bible, but do any of you suggest learning SQL, PHP, and Javascript/jQuery in a particular order? I was leaning toward Javascript>PHP>SQL, but would be open to any adverse opinions concerning it.

Like I said, my knowledge so far is pretty limited. I learned the fundamentals of C++ years ago in high school (and designed my school's student website using Photoshop... which obviously isn't related), but programming has always intrigued me. My brother's been working as a web designer for the past 18 years; he basically suggested learning HTML and CSS like the back of my hand at first, and to especially concentrate on floats (but not overuse them). I've accomplished that, but just looking for a little guidance now.

Appreciate it!

[Alexander]

Javascript is not a huge framework, it is a scripting language. If you learn a framework before the language itself, you will lose out on the ability of integrating/modifying JQuery to fit your application's needs. That would likely lead to poor code and often requiring a reference, unless you are a very quick learner.

Things like AJAX and animations and what JQuery excels at, can be very confusing and long to write in Javascript so that is out of the question. The syntax and structure and things that allow JQuery to work however, are important to at least know in Javascript.

PHP is another story, I would see no benefit of learning one or the other first - however you may wish to learn at the same time if you wish for some of your applications or sites to be asynchronous (for example JQuery talking to the MySQL backend with AJAX)

[chili5]

Also PHP and SQL pretty much go hand in hand so you will probably end up learning both at the same time.

Or you can just focus on learning to write queries in a database management system and then learn to write PHP to deal with the queries later.

In which case that would be Javascript>PHP>SQL>PHP :)

[Vaielab]

Like Alexander said, their no reason to learn php before or after javascript. They don't depend on each other, so you could learn it when ever you like.

For javascript & jquery, you really should learn javascript and after that jquery.
Jquery isn't a language, it's simply a list of function writed in javascript to make your life more easy.
For example, the first time I learn to make a ajax call, it was in javascript, it took me about 60lines of codes to do a simple ajax call. Later I learned that with jquery I can do the exact same thing in only 2line of code.
The result will be the same, but jquery only make your life a lot more easy.

[WingedPanther]

Javascript before jQuery

PHP before SQL (though you will probably start SQL before you "finish" PHP), unless you just want to play with a database tool such as SQuirreL SQL Client to see what you can do. SQL without a context tends to make very little sense.

You will need both JavaScript and PHP before you can start messing around with AJAX, which integrates both.

In the real world ™, you don't generally learn one language at a time, you learn pieces of different languages as you need them.

[DarkLordofthePenguins]

ReMorseCoder said:

1) Would you recommend learning Javascript before jQuery as a beginner? I know that the former is the foundation for the latter, but there seems to be a mixed bag of opinions. From what I understand, jQuery performs the majority of functions that Javascipt does and is easier to grasp, but a person's bound to run into a conundrum sooner than later if they only know JQ.

jQuery is just a bunch of functions used in Javascript coding. It is not a frontend. If you want to use jQuery, you have to know Javascript first.

ReMorseCoder said:

2) I know the answer's not etched in stone somewhere in a programming Bible, but do any of you suggest learning SQL, PHP, and Javascript/jQuery in a particular order? I was leaning toward Javascript>PHP>SQL, but would be open to any adverse opinions concerning it.

Javascript before jQuery, definitely, for the reason I already stated. SQL and PHP should come later as they are for scripting on the server side. I recommend building the client-side portion of the website with HTML, CSS, and Javascript, then putting it on the server, at which point you would use PHP and SQL. You will need both Javascript and PHP for many things, particularly Ajax.