Some months ago I have asked Apress.Com to get the book Full Stack JavaScript for a review.
Finally, I have finished it, thus the review can begin 🙂
The book is divided into 8 chapters, introducing different technologies as Backbone.js, Node.js, MongoDB – pretty much anything currently trending in the JS world.
Chapter 1 gives you some basics – some introduction to HTML and CSS and then JS. To be honest, this is quite not enough for a beginner, but the level of the book is beginner – intermediate, so thus it is ok.
Chapter 2 shows you how to settle MongoDB, GitHub account and MongoDB database plus some other tools.
In chapter 3 we get the introduction to jQuery and Parse.Com. You learn how to use JSON, AJAX, LESS. You build a chat application. 
Chapter 4 is about Backbone.js – there you build a simple Hello World program with Backbone.js and a few other small applications, practising the MVC model.
Chapter 5 is building application with JavaScript and Parse.Com. It is a version of the well-known “Message board”.
Chapter 6 is an intro to Node.Js and an example of test-driven development in JS.
In chapter 7 we build a message board with MongoDB.
Chapter 8 makes a message board chat application, with explanation how to deploy it Amazon, Heroku or a Same Domain Server.
Pluses:
- The book is readable, lots of the basics are well-explained and I liked them.
- There are small videos, “hidden” in the book, giving you a link to YouTube.com (I kind of love additional free stuff)
- The code is available in GitHub, in the author’s profile.
Minuses:
- If you are really a beginner in JS, I am not sure that you would manage to get the ideas of the book and build up.
- The code is available in GitHub, in the author’s profile. Not in the site of the book, thus one should first buy the book or make a good research before obtaining the code. I have always thought that code should be given independently from the book, as a way for the reader to judge whether he/she should invest into the book.
- Somehow I think that there is too much code within the book at some places. But this is really a minor minus.
- Parse.com will be retired on January 2017.
The verdict – although there are some minor minuses, as general I liked the book and I have learned from it. Thus, I would give it about 4 stars. It can teach you JS! 🙂
