Which should I learn first: JavaScript or HTML/CSS?


While venturing into the world of web development, it is important to start with languages that are basic and foundations for other languages. Languages used for developing web, are all important, thus, developers can often find themselves stumbling upon this question. In this article, we will look into each of these languages and what are the prerequisites for each.

Understanding HTML & CSS

Web pages available on the internet are built with the help of HTML and made to match the aesthetics with the help of CSS. HTML offers websites a skeleton for their content. Content here could include images, urls and links whereas CSS is responsible for the visuals of a web page.

Benefits of Learning HTML & CSS First

  • Foundational Knowledge − A strong foundation for understanding web development principles is provided by HTML/CSS. You gain a thorough understanding of how websites are structured and styled by first learning these languages.

  • Instantaneous Visual Feedback − The codes of HTML and CSS are able to produce instant outputs, which provides the developers with a vision to look forward to and a present scenario which they can compare, promoting concept reinforcement and experimentation

  • Beginner friendly − Due to HTML and CSSs simple and easier concept, they are easy to apply right away, whereas tools like JavaScript have relatively tougher syntax which could be difficult to apply. This makes the learning curve for HTML and CSS very easier.

Advantages of Using HTML & CSS

  • Structure and Organization − A web page's content can be organized in a structured way using HTML. To define various elements, including headings, paragraphs, lists, images, and links, it makes use of tags. The website's visibility in search results is increased by this structure, which makes it simpler for search engines to comprehend and index the content.

  • Cross-Browser Compatibility − HTML is supported by all popular web browsers, making it possible for a large audience to access your website. It offers a consistent user experience across numerous platforms and gadgets, enabling users to view your content on any browser of their choice.

  • Separation of Content and Presentation − CSS enables designers to separate a web page's visual design from its structural foundation. You can quickly change the overall appearance of your website without changing each individual HTML file by defining styles in a separate CSS file. This division also lessens code duplication and enhances maintainability.

  • Responsive Design − You can make web designs that adjust to various screen sizes and devices using CSS. You can apply various styles based on variables like screen width, height, or orientation by using media queries. As a result, your website will look fantastic on desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

  • Ease of Upkeep − HTML and CSS code is comparatively simple to read and comprehend, making website upkeep and updates easier. By altering the pertinent HTML or CSS files, changes can be made quickly without affecting other website elements.

JavaScript

A dynamic programming language called JavaScript gives websites extra functionality and interactivity. Developers can use it to make a variety of interactive elements, including forms, animations, dynamic content updates, and much more.

Benefits of Learning JavaScript First

  • Enhanced Interactivity − You can design dynamic and interactive web experiences using JavaScript. You can start creating interesting user interfaces and including functionality in your webpages right away by learning JavaScript first.

  • Flexibility − Along with building websites, javaScript can also be used to go beyond it and be responsive to all devices, when used with different devices. For eg. building desktop applications using Electron, mobile apps using React Native, and server-side applications using Node.js.

  • Industry Demand − It is no doubt a popular programming language, which puts you in a domain of demand. JavaScript because of its popularity is required for jobs in this field.

Advantages of JavaScript

  • Improved User Experience − JavaScript is known for building dynamic, engaging and interactive web pages, thus it can be said that it is used to improve the user experiences. Thus, all kinds of interactive tools can be built like interactive animation, sliders, pop-ups, etc, making this point one the best advantages of JavaScript.

  • Client-Side Execution − JavaScript's ability to run client-side in the user's browser is one of its main advantages. The website's functionality is increased while the server's workload is decreased. This also enables quick user input validation, omitting the need to do it manually. Fast feedback also means better connectivity with the users.

  • Cross-Browser Compatibility − JavaScript is supported by all kinds of web browsers, like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. Thus, making any web browser a catalyst for your web development journey. This allows you to code once and run it on all kinds of browsers. This is one of the features that acts like a plus point for JavaScript.

  • Rich Functionality − A wide range of built-in tools and libraries made available by JavaScript allow website designers to integrate cutting-edge features. JavaScript is known for the indefinite amount of tools it allows for the purpose of a task, like data manipulation, DOM manipulation, and form validation. Two examples to the external libraries would be React.js and Angular.js

  • Asynchronous Programming − Callbacks, promises, and async/await features in JavaScript are available to support asynchronous programming. As a result, programmers can write non-blocking code that can handle multiple tasks concurrently without getting in the way of the execution flow. Asynchronous programming improves web application performance by lowering latency and increasing responsiveness.

Conclusion

To conclude, Learning any of the languages first(HTML & CSS or JavaScript) depends entirely upon your individual needs. If there’s something specific you wish to learn,You can get to know which language can teach it and go for that language. But if you are a beginner trying to get into Web development, then going for HTML and CSS first, is recommended.

So we understood from this article that the sequence of learning concepts should be based on the requirement of your goal skill. But if the goal is to get started with a domain, then you can follow the sequence along with the resources available.

Updated on: 22-Aug-2023

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