Upgrade to Pro
— share decks privately, control downloads, hide ads and more …
Speaker Deck
Features
Speaker Deck
PRO
Sign in
Sign up for free
Search
Search
The Book Nerd's Guide to JavaScript
Search
Angus Croll
November 17, 2014
Technology
14
4.3k
The Book Nerd's Guide to JavaScript
Given at DotJS, Paris on 17th November 2014
Angus Croll
November 17, 2014
Tweet
Share
More Decks by Angus Croll
See All by Angus Croll
Stop being Perfect
anguscroll
11
1.6k
ES6 Uncensored
anguscroll
72
12k
Learning to Fly — Twitter Flight and Mixins
anguscroll
23
4.6k
JavaScript is Literature is JavaScript
anguscroll
21
3.4k
The Politics of JavaScript
anguscroll
122
23k
Parlez-Vous JavaScript
anguscroll
33
6.4k
Break all the Rulez
anguscroll
42
16k
How we Learned to Stop Worrying and Love JavaScript
anguscroll
90
22k
Other Decks in Technology
See All in Technology
生成AIによるソフトウェア開発の収束地点 - Hack Fes 2025
vaaaaanquish
35
16k
コミュニティと計画的偶発性理論 - 出会いが人生を変える / Life-Changing Encounters
soudai
PRO
7
1.1k
Amazon Bedrock AgentCore でプロモーション用動画生成エージェントを開発する
nasuvitz
6
330
あなたの知らない OneDrive
murachiakira
0
170
2025新卒研修・Webアプリケーションセキュリティ #弁護士ドットコム
bengo4com
3
9.9k
Oracle Base Database Service:サービス概要のご紹介
oracle4engineer
PRO
2
20k
サービスロボット最前線:ugoが挑むPhysical AI活用
kmatsuiugo
0
170
o11yツールを乗り換えた話
tak0x00
2
1.7k
[CV勉強会@関東 CVPR2025 読み会] MegaSaM: Accurate, Fast, and Robust Structure and Motion from Casual Dynamic Videos (Li+, CVPR2025)
abemii
0
170
GISエンジニアよ 現場に行け!
sudataka
1
140
あとはAIに任せて人間は自由に生きる
kentaro
3
950
datadog-distribution-of-opentelemetry-collector-intro
tetsuya28
0
190
Featured
See All Featured
For a Future-Friendly Web
brad_frost
179
9.9k
Adopting Sorbet at Scale
ufuk
77
9.5k
Writing Fast Ruby
sferik
628
62k
How to Think Like a Performance Engineer
csswizardry
25
1.8k
GitHub's CSS Performance
jonrohan
1031
460k
I Don’t Have Time: Getting Over the Fear to Launch Your Podcast
jcasabona
33
2.4k
Fantastic passwords and where to find them - at NoRuKo
philnash
51
3.4k
Dealing with People You Can't Stand - Big Design 2015
cassininazir
367
26k
Automating Front-end Workflow
addyosmani
1370
200k
Visualizing Your Data: Incorporating Mongo into Loggly Infrastructure
mongodb
48
9.6k
Connecting the Dots Between Site Speed, User Experience & Your Business [WebExpo 2025]
tammyeverts
8
470
Rails Girls Zürich Keynote
gr2m
95
14k
Transcript
A Book Nerd’s Guide to JavaScript @angustweets
None
Practical, Useful, Mind Numbingly Boring Nonsensical Work of Genius
What can Literature teach us about Programming?
Great literature is the creation of open minds As programmers
our focus can be very narrow
We’re encouraged to follow only one style…
Actual excerpts from: Google Style Guide AirBnb Style Guide JavaScript
Garden
None
None
We’re left with only one way to get from A
to B :(
None
None
Literature is about embracing the entire language
When programmers embrace the entire language we get choices…
None
None
"There are indeed many ways to do the same thing
in JS. That's one of the beauties of the language" - Peter van der Zee (@kuvos)
None
None
(at least until the JavaScript Police get here)
None
None
Perhaps most importantly…
…Open Minds keep JavaScript fun.
This one just follows The Good Parts These two learn
by experiment
As programmers we’re not encouraged to experiment
Yet experiment is what keeps JavaScript alive
“You need a lot of bad code to write good
code” - Substack (dotJS 2014)
‣ if(!!x) ‣ fn && fn() ‣ immediately invoked functions
‣ module pattern ‣ promises
None
I decided to take experiment to the next level…
None
Wait What?
Twenty Five Authors solving Five JavaScript Problems
Hemingway developed the Iceberg Theory
Here is Hemingway’s Iceberg Theory applied to JavaScript…
(weird shit) (Deceptively Familiar Syntax) (weird shit) JavaScript
(weird shit) JAVA!! (Deceptively Familiar Syntax) (weird shit) JavaScript
(weird shit) JAVA!! But Easier!! (Deceptively Familiar Syntax) (weird shit)
JavaScript
(weird shit) JAVA!! But Easier!! (Deceptively Familiar Syntax) (weird shit)
WTF? JavaScript
Generate Prime Numbers
None
// A succession of creatures mount the stairs;! // each
creature's stride exceeds that of its predecessor! var monstersAscendingAStaircase = function(numberOfSteps) {! var stairs = []; stepsUntrodden = [];! var largestGait = Math.sqrt(numberOfSteps);! for (var i = 2; i <= largestGait; i++) {! if (!stairs[i]) {! for (var j = i * i; j <= numberOfSteps; j += i) {! stairs[j] = 'stomp';! }! }! }! ! // Long-limbed monsters won't tread on prime numbered stairs.! for (var i = 2; i <= numberOfSteps; i++) {! if(!stairs[i]) {! stepsUntrodden.push(i);! }! }! ! // Here, then, is our answer.! return stepsUntrodden;! };!
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 2 3 Borges vs. Prime Numbers
None
function downTheRabbitHole(growThisBig) {! var theFullDeck = Array(growThisBig);! var theHatter =
Function('return this/4').call(2*2);! var theMarchHare = Boolean("The frumious Bandersnatch!");! ! var theVerdict = "the white rabbit".split(/the march hare/).slice(theHatter);! ! //into the pool of tears...! eval(theFullDeck.join("if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {\! theMarchHare = 1;\! theVerdict.push(theHatter);\! " + theFullDeck.join("theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter]=true;") + "}")! );! ! return theVerdict;! }!
function downTheRabbitHole(growThisBig) {! var theFullDeck = Array(growThisBig);! var theHatter =
Function('return this/4').call(2*2);! var theMarchHare = Boolean("The frumious Bandersnatch!");! ! var theVerdict = "the white rabbit".split(/the march hare/).slice(theHatter);! ! //into the pool of tears...! eval(theFullDeck.join("if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {\! theMarchHare = 1;\! theVerdict.push(theHatter);\! " + theFullDeck.join("theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter]=true;") + "}")! );! ! return theVerdict;! }!
function downTheRabbitHole(growThisBig) {! var theFullDeck = Array(growThisBig);! var theHatter =
Function('return this/4').call(2*2);! var theMarchHare = Boolean("The frumious Bandersnatch!");! ! var theVerdict = "the white rabbit".split(/the march hare/).slice(theHatter);! ! //into the pool of tears...! eval(theFullDeck.join("if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {\! theMarchHare = 1;\! theVerdict.push(theHatter);\! " + theFullDeck.join("theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter]=true;") + "}")! );! ! return theVerdict;! }!
! new Array(5).join('A' + new Array(5).join('a'));! ! >! !
new Array(5).join("A" + new Array(5).join('a'));! ! > "AaaaaAaaaaAaaaaAaaaa"!
function downTheRabbitHole(growThisBig) {! var theFullDeck = Array(growThisBig);! var theHatter =
Function('return this/4').call(2*2);! var theMarchHare = Boolean("The frumious Bandersnatch!");! ! var theVerdict = "the white rabbit".split(/the march hare/).slice(theHatter);! ! //into the pool of tears...! eval(theFullDeck.join("if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {\! theMarchHare = 1;\! theVerdict.push(theHatter);\! " + theFullDeck.join("theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter]=true;") + "}")! );! ! return theVerdict;! }!
eval(“if(!theFullDeck[++theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}if(!theFullDeck[+ +theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}if(!theFullDeck[+ +theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+
+theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}if(!theFullDeck[+ +theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}if(!theFullDeck[+ +theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}if(!theFullDeck[+ +theHatter]){theMarchHare=1;theVerdict.push(theHatter);theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[+ +theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;theFullDeck[++theMarchHare*theHatter]=true;}”);!
eval(“if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {! theMarchHare = 1;! theVerdict.push(theHatter);! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter]
= true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! }! if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {! theMarchHare = 1;! theVerdict.push(theHatter);! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! theFullDeck[++theMarchHare * theHatter] = true;! }! if (!theFullDeck[++theHatter]) {! theMarchHare = 1;!
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
Alice in Prime Numberland
So what did we learn?
Playing is Learning
Self-taught programmers are often the best programmers because they get
to make mistakes
Experiment, Play, Have Fun and Keep an Open Mind.
Fin, merci! @angustweets anguscroll.com/hemingway
Books: http://pixgood.com/classic-book-spines.html/ Montparnasse Tower: http://allparisguides.com Eiffel Tower: Yellow Monster: http://content.mycutegraphics.com/
Green Monster: http://wondersofdisney2.yolasite.com/ White Rabbit: http://www.clker.com/ Mad Hatter, March Hare: http://wondersofdisney2.yolasite.com/ Cow, tree, office buildings: clipartpanda.com/ Grass: imgarcade.com/ Lion cubs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mbiddulph/6947067048/ Cheetah cubs: http://www.bhmpics.com/view-cheetah_cubs_playing-1920x1080.html/ ! Image credits