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How to learn vanilla js in 2019

The other day, I had a conversation with someone about the various ways to learn vanilla JS in 2019.

On the low cost end, you can buy courses on Udemy for $20. You can get a monthly subscription to Pluralsight or Egghead for about $35 a month. You can read free tutorials online.

On the premium end of the market, there are fantastic video courses from folks like Wes Bos and Ultimate Courses. They got really deep into their subject matter.

With all this competition, why would someone choose my stuff?

There are two reasons:

  1. Content depth/structure
  2. Learning support

Content depth and structure

Some people find the idea of “18 hours of in-depth video lessons” on a topic really appealing.

Personally, I’ve purchased courses like that and never end up using them. I barely get through 45 minutes.

It’s just too much for me and my learning style. It’s daunting. It feels like a big thing I need to get through, and that’s not what learning should feel like.

By comparison, my ebooks and video courses are designed to be short and narrowly focused on a single topic. You can complete the whole thing in about an hour, then get on with your life.

I also provide ebook versions of every course. A lot of people love video. Some people hate it. Some people want both.

I provide options.

Learning support

You can find short video courses on Udemy, Egghead, and Pluralsight. You can find free tutorials online.

Some learning programs even offer Slack channels, like I do.

But I’m actually in my Slack channel. I answer questions, share tips and tricks, and help students get unstuck. My other students do, too.

The support around my learning offerings is one of the most valuable parts.

I’m not for everyone

Some people would rather grind through some free tutorials. Some people would rather pay $20 for an Udemy course and try to fill in the gaps or things they’re stuck on themselves.

Some people want a deep, into-the-weeds, 18-hour long courses.

And some people don’t.

I’m 100% ok with the idea that my stuff isn’t for everyone, and neither are the other people who work in this space.