Lock in $30 Savings on PRO—Offer Ends Soon! ⏳
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
4.7k
JavaScript is Literature is JavaScript
anguscroll
21
3.5k
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
品質のための共通認識
kakehashi
PRO
3
220
生成AIでテスト設計はどこまでできる? 「テスト粒度」を操るテーラリング術
shota_kusaba
0
580
エンジニアリングをやめたくないので問い続ける
estie
2
370
最近のLinux普段づかいWaylandデスクトップ元年
penguin2716
1
680
AI駆動開発における設計思想 認知負荷を下げるフロントエンドアーキテクチャ/ 20251211 Teppei Hanai
shift_evolve
PRO
2
210
[CMU-DB-2025FALL] Apache Fluss - A Streaming Storage for Real-Time Lakehouse
jark
0
110
AWS CLIの新しい認証情報設定方法aws loginコマンドの実態
wkm2
6
640
今からでも間に合う!速習Devin入門とその活用方法
ismk
1
570
pmconf2025 - 他社事例を"自社仕様化"する技術_iRAFT法
daichi_yamashita
0
790
学習データって増やせばいいんですか?
ftakahashi
2
280
【pmconf2025】PdMの「責任感」がチームを弱くする?「分業型」から全員がユーザー価値に本気で向き合う「共創型開発チーム」への変遷
toshimasa012345
0
280
pmconf2025 - データを活用し「価値」へ繋げる
glorypulse
0
710
Featured
See All Featured
The World Runs on Bad Software
bkeepers
PRO
72
12k
Scaling GitHub
holman
464
140k
Building an army of robots
kneath
306
46k
Improving Core Web Vitals using Speculation Rules API
sergeychernyshev
21
1.3k
Helping Users Find Their Own Way: Creating Modern Search Experiences
danielanewman
31
3k
What’s in a name? Adding method to the madness
productmarketing
PRO
24
3.8k
Refactoring Trust on Your Teams (GOTO; Chicago 2020)
rmw
35
3.3k
[RailsConf 2023 Opening Keynote] The Magic of Rails
eileencodes
31
9.8k
Save Time (by Creating Custom Rails Generators)
garrettdimon
PRO
32
1.8k
Sharpening the Axe: The Primacy of Toolmaking
bcantrill
46
2.6k
We Have a Design System, Now What?
morganepeng
54
7.9k
CSS Pre-Processors: Stylus, Less & Sass
bermonpainter
359
30k
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