Upgrade to Pro
— share decks privately, control downloads, hide ads and more …
Speaker Deck
Sign up for free
Menu
Search
Features
All features
Private URLs
Password Protection
Custom URLS
Scheduled publishing
Remove Branding
Restrict embedding
Deck Collections
Notes
Features
All features
Private URLs
Password Protection
Custom URLS
Scheduled publishing
Remove Branding
Restrict embedding
Deck Collections
Notes
Explore
Featured decks
Featured speakers
Programming
Technology
Storyboards
Explore
Featured decks
Featured speakers
Programming
Technology
Storyboards
Pricing
Search
Sign in
Sign up for free
The Book Nerd's Guide to JavaScript
Search
Angus Croll
November 17, 2014
Technology
4.4k
14
Share
Embed
Copy iframe code
Copy JS code
Copy link
Start on current slide
The Book Nerd's Guide to JavaScript
Given at DotJS, Paris on 17th November 2014
Angus Croll
November 17, 2014
More Decks by Angus Croll
See All by Angus Croll
Stop being Perfect
anguscroll
11
1.7k
ES6 Uncensored
anguscroll
72
12k
Learning to Fly — Twitter Flight and Mixins
anguscroll
23
4.8k
JavaScript is Literature is JavaScript
anguscroll
21
3.6k
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
DAMOS - The Smart Cruise Control for RAM
ennael
PRO
1
130
生成AIを使って「人が」考える技術 ― AI時代の人機共想と実践ノウハウ|UNITT AC2026
ishiirikie
0
550
Incremental HTTP
kazuho
5
2k
[2026 Oracle Technical Deep Dive] OCI AI Resilience -OCIのセキュリティ対策機能をきちんと使いこなす- (2026年9月17日開催)
oracle4engineer
PRO
0
130
契約書画像からの情報抽出に特化した視覚接地モデルを育てる話
sansantech
PRO
1
140
予測不能な実行エージェントを安全にサクッと試せるサンドボックス環境の話
sansantech
PRO
0
120
データ品質を壊しながらSnowflakeのAIに分析させてみた
kawanago
0
500
20260930_Gemma4_Hands-on
tsho
0
220
OSC2026on_the-world-is-waiting-for-your-voice.pdf
naruoga
0
350
Databricksメトリクスビューはじめてのもくもく会
taka_aki
0
200
FinTech 1-2 : Overview of FinTech
ks91
PRO
0
150
私の推しは「聞いてから進む」AIです -AI-DLCに一人でアプリを作らせた話
yama3133
1
170
Featured
See All Featured
Noah Learner - AI + Me: how we built a GSC Bulk Export data pipeline
techseoconnect
PRO
0
450
The Mindset for Success: Future Career Progression
greggifford
PRO
0
530
RailsConf 2023
tenderlove
30
1.6k
Save Time (by Creating Custom Rails Generators)
garrettdimon
PRO
33
5.1k
Design in an AI World
tapps
1
350
Designing Dashboards & Data Visualisations in Web Apps
destraynor
232
55k
Money Talks: Using Revenue to Get Sh*t Done
nikkihalliwell
0
510
SEOcharity - Dark patterns in SEO and UX: How to avoid them and build a more ethical web
sarafernandez
0
300
Exploring anti-patterns in Rails
aemeredith
4
520
Game over? The fight for quality and originality in the time of robots
wayneb77
1
300
Visualizing Your Data: Incorporating Mongo into Loggly Infrastructure
mongodb
50
10k
Between Models and Reality
mayunak
4
480
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