It's hard… really hard when you first start out learning Web Development.
There are so many different languages, frameworks and tools you often feel overwhelmed from the very beginning.
Many developers will swear that you take online courses to learn Web Development, with Learnstability been an online course platform we do agree that that is true to an extent.
Online courses and real practice are what it takes to really master web development, however we are core believers that books do have a place in a web developers toolkit especially for downtime reading and future reference.
The top web development books we are sharing today are a mix of technical and non technical, each providing you with great knowledge and insight to help you become a more well rounded Web Developer.
Lets start:
1. HTML & CSS: Design and Build Websites
What we would describe as the holy grail of HTML & CSS books, an essential for any new web developer looking to learn the two core elements to building websites from scratch.
What's really great about this book is the in-depth coverage of key learning topics, you start out with the basics of the HTML language and how to structure websites to then exploring how to style them with CSS.
Something I wouldn't normally comment on when reviewing a book is build quality, but this book really does set the standard high. Pages feel high quality, full off beautiful graphics an images and with over 490 of them it's a perfect companion for future referencing and not the dusty top of the shelf kind. 😜
The only downside to the book is the lack of challenges, yet you can't really complain as this really is the best HTML & CSS book out there.
Looking to buy?: Amazon $33.67
2. Being Geek
A slightly controversial option here is Being Geek by Michael Lopp. This book unlike many of the others in this post is not around a specific language and is tailored to the actual life of a developer and what you can expect when working in a real development environment.
It covers interesting areas such as coding interviews, career progression, interacting with other engineers along with building relationships with colleagues in the workplace.
The author also has a very popular blog and podcast called Rands in Repose where he touches on these topics in detail so the book is an extension of what is written there.
Overall a great non technical book that provides you as a developer with an understanding of daily life as a developer and what you can expect in your career.
Looking to buy? Amazon $15.99
3. Eloquent JavaScript
If you are looking to level up your technical JavaScript skills in 2020 the book Eloquent JavaScript is the first place you should start.
The book covers key topics in detail including, types, expressions, functions, data structures, hoc's, errors, debugging and much more. All essentials for you to understand when working with JavaScript.
What I also love about this book is the coverage of web browsers and how JavaScript can be used to program them something that you don't often get with other books.
Eloquent JavaScript also comes bundled with various different challenges such as building a delivery robot, pixel paint program and then finally a dynamic website.
Overall one of our top web development books!
You can also read this book online for FREE: Click here. Looking to buy? Amazon $26.33
4. You Don't Know JS (Series)
If you have worked with JavaScript in the past and found yourself wondering the ins and outs as to how the language works this is the series you should pick up next.
What these books provide you with is a real deep dive on core areas of the language in an attempt to explain complex topics in an easy to understand way.
The recommended reading order is as follows:
Get Started Scope & Closures Objects & Classes Types & Grammar Sync & Async ES.Next & Beyond
Another fantastic thing about these books is that they can all be read online for FREE. However we do recommend purchasing the hardback copies to support Kyle Simpsons amazing work.
You can also read this book online for FREE: Click here. Looking to buy? Amazon $18.99
5. CSS Secrets (Better Solutions To Everyday Problems)
Web developers who have some real world experience writing CSS should definitely pick this book up. Aimed towards Intermediate to Advanced CSS Developers the book deep dives into complex topics such as how to write maintainable CSS along with preaching the concept of DRY (Don't Repeat Yourself) methodology.
The book additionally contains common design problems and how developers can use CSS to solve them. Things such as selectors, typography, user experience and animations are all explained in detail.
What makes this book really awesome is that the author Verou is also a member of the W3C Working group. This meaning that the references to real world problems and solutions are covered thoroughly something that you don't get with many other CSS books out there.
Overall a great web developer book!
Looking to buy? Amazon $18.99
6. Smashing Book 6: New Frontiers In Web Design
Another fantastic web developer book is the Smashing Book 6. Mainly tailored towards a Web Design / Front End audience yet will benefit any developer who has an interest in the visual and user experience side of websites.
The book focuses on real challenges that design and development face ranging from creating accessibility first applications to managing website performance and layout techniques. It's also still up to date (originally released in 2018)
What sets this book a part is that it is written by multiple different authors who each have a chapter each dedicated to their subject area. This is perfect for when you like to experience different ways of thinking.
Some of the chapters include, Design Systems, CSS Grid, Loading Web Assets and AR/VR and with over 530 pages you have a good amount to read in your spare time.
You can also read the free chapter: Brining Personality Back Looking to buy? Smashing Magazine Website $39.00
7. Clean Code
This is one of those books that is always recommended by a developer who has been working in the field for many years.. and rightly so.
The book Clean Code covers various different areas of building production ready software.
The book includes how to identify bad code, refactoring patterns along with preaching the importance of creating understandable code that can scale in the future iterations.
After guiding you through the key concepts the author then provides lengthy refactoring examples where you can then put the recommendations into real practice.
This book is a must book for web developers who care about writing clean maintainable code.
Looking to buy? Amazon $36.99
7. JavaScript The Good Parts
If your looking for a smaller book than the Eloquent JavaScript I would recommend JavaScript The Good Parts. This book provides fantastic wisdom into how the language comes together properly.
The book covers a range of different topics such as arrays, functions, regular expressions along with some rather interesting chapters such as the awful parts and the bad parts of the language, all areas that are great to know if you find yourself working with JS on a daily basis.
Whats also cool about this book is that the author is the writer of JSLint that is a popular tool used for enforcing best practices when writing JavaScript. There is an entire chapter on JSLint contained towards the end of the book too!
Overall a great small book that will act as a reference point in future.
Looking to buy? Amazon $36.99
8. Front End Fundamentals
If you are looking into pursuing a career in Front End Development this is a fantastic start to learn more. The book covers various different topics such as how to become an efficient web developer, what front end tooling options there are along with building an application that can scale.
This book is also fantastic for developers who might have worked on the front end but not yet dived into JavaScript frameworks such as Angular and Ember or the MV pattern.
The only downside to this book is that it is quite outdated, originally released in 2015 and with no update it does miss out on many libraries that have evolved during that time period.
However if your looking for a good read on Front End development this is a book you should consider picking up. Especially if its at a discounted price. 😏
Looking to buy? Amazon $17.69
9. Managing Humans Book
The second book in this post produced by Michael Lopp is Managing Humans. A little different to the books focusing on specific languages, this book is focused on developers who are looking to pursue or explore management of team members.
The book covers key areas that managers have to deal with such as handling conflicts, building effective teams, running meetings along with hiring.
Whats really great about this book is that authors voice, the book is fun and easy to read with the author expressing real life experiences that he has experienced hands on while managing at companies such as Apple, Symantec and Slack.
Overall a fantastic, easy to read book that you should defiantly pick up if you are a web developer exploring people management.
Where to buy? Amazon $32.99
10. JavaScript and JQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
Last but not least is another classic by the same author as the first book int this post Jon Duckett. If you have read the original HTML & CSS book the JavaScript and jQuery follows along in the same fantastic format.
Although jQuery is often seen as an outdated technology in 2020 I still think that this book provides fantastic insight into key areas of the JavaScript language while covering enough jQuery that you still might run into during your web developer career.
Some of the topics you can be expected to learn about include, Error Handling, Content Panels, Filtering, Searching and Sorting along with Form Enhancement and Validation all key areas that you will still need to understand as a web developer in 2020.
Overall a great book, be sure to buy the latest version as there are some minor syntax fixes to the original.
Where to buy? Amazon $59.54
Conclusion
That the lot! The following web development books above will provide you with a vast array of knowledge in 2020 that you can apply to help you become a more well rounded web developer.
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