JavaScript, or JS, is fast becoming the most popular programming language around. In fact, in 2021, only Python and Java topped JS as a user’s choice. There are many reasons, of course, for the language’s growth in popularity and consistent use over the years. Quite frankly, JS is easy to learn and faster to master than many of its competitors. In this article we are going to talk about 5 JavaScript projects which will help you to improve your coding skills.
That said, just because it is more accessible than some of its rivals, that doesn’t exactly make it easy to master. It still requires constant practice, dedication and motivation to reach the pinnacle, and to write the programming language with as much fluency as you speak your native tongue. And, just like with learning a foreign language, it always helps to think of fun and innovative ways to practice. This will help to mix things up, and retain your enthusiasm for the task at hand. Here are a few things you could try with JS.
Make a Calculator
You can create your own calculator using basic JavaScript functions. It’s funny to think about how, right at the dawn of the computer in the 1990s, a calculator was seen as the epitome of modern and complex tech. Today, it’s considered one of the most basic HTML and CSS projects you can do to practice your JS proficiency.
Try Tic Tac Toe
All sorts of games are made possible through the programming language of JS. Why not start with something fairly simple, in the form of Tic Tac Toe. It’s a game many of us played as kids on paper, but is equally fun (until the novelty wears off) on the screen. You can use pretty basic HTML and CSS for the project, making it great practice for newbies learning the JS ropes. From there, you could edit the game however you want to make it more complex and unusual. After all, Connect 4 is not such a huge leap from Tic Tac Toe.
Build a Poker Game
If you’re looking for a fun way to practice your new-found JavaScript skills, then why not build a poker game? Just like the top players of the game itself, you’ll need to work on those math skills, and get familiar with the numbers and rules of the game. The values and rankings of poker hands are easy to find, and conveying them to the poker program you’re building makes up a substantial portion of the project. You’ll be essentially ‘teaching’ the different hands and their values to your program as part of the process.
Space Invaders, Anyone?
While we’re talking games, why not see if you can replicate that 1980’s classic, Space Invaders? What probably took a team months or years to develop back then can now be done by an individual in no time at all using JavaScript. Plus, you’ll get to play your own game for hours afterwards, keeping your fingers nimble, agile and practised enough to have another go at using your newly-mastered JS. Just don’t let those aliens make a fool of you.
Make a Shopping Cart
Things are starting to get complicated now. We started with the relatively basic calculator, and now it’s time to delve into something a little juicier. You can build a shopping cart for order fulfilment using JS combined with HTML, CSS and a little jQuery. This is not only a great way to enhance your skills, but a fantastic skill to have, because so many websites require shopping carts. And online shopping is only getting more and more popular.
