Aug 31, 2021
Go Deep Into Javascript With These Advanced Tech Talks
10 Tech Talks summary to boost your Javascript knowledge
Talks and workshops are some of the best ways to gain access to knowledge and network with smart people. But unfortunately, it’s expensive to do for the majority of people and it might require visas to travel. Besides during Corona, it has been nearly impossible to do.
Luckily, I have found that many of them are recorded on YouTube and they share a good deal of valuable knowledge.
I have summarized below some of the most important and good ones that you could potentially extend to watch other exciting tech talks.
1. JavaScript Event Loop
If you are a JavaScript developer and not familiar with how JavaScript works in the browser and handles your code — this talk will give you a lot of information.
Concepts like stack and event loop, and how async code is done in JavasScript, including using the famous setTimeout(fn, 0) syntax.
2. Web APIs You [Probably] Didn’t Know Existed
I really enjoyed this talk, especially the Gamepad API and playing Super Mario with Nintendo!
These are what I call Magic APIs — they unleash your JavaScript powers.
Some examples:
3. Functional Programming with JavaScript
Although I know a little bit about functional programming, this talk puts it in a more logical, structured way.
It explains the “buzz” words behind functional programmings, such as higher-order functions and immutability, and why you might consider using functional over object-oriented in some of your code.
If you are looking for a more in-depth course, you can check out Functional programming in JavaScript by Fun Fun Function.
4. RxJS + Redux + React = Amazing!
This talk from Netflix developers is super hard to understand the first time you watch it.
If you know RxJS observables and Redux, have you ever thought about using them together?
This is a very cool idea of mixing the two-state management technologies that will push for more predictable states, less code, and fewer bugs.
5. JavaScript Engines — How Do They Even?
This was a low-level behind-the-scenes talk about how JavaScript works and how it is compiled to give us the magic we see.
If you come from programming with C & C++, as I do, you will enjoy this. You’ll see how the V8 engine and the JIT (Just-In-Time) compilation works in turning the JavaScript code into machine code.
6. Wait, You Can Do That With JavaScript…!?
You would be amazed to find out that, with JavaScript, we can make a full game engine in the browser or control a drone using your Chrome!
What about doing VR and AR and machine learning?
All this is now available in web technologies, and it might be one of the things that enter JavaScript as the most popular language in a Stackoverflow 2019 Report.
Watch Opher Vishnia’s talk.
7. Using WebAssembly and Threads
We can’t leave this list without a talk about WebAssembly.
As web applications become more complex and hungry for more computational power, there is a need for the use of WebAssembly (or WASM).
Primarily, as it provides real multi-threading experience for your web app to go smoother and increase your customer base.
8. A Quest to Be a (Web) Master
We all think that having a lot of libraries and frameworks under our belt would make us experts in JS.
But what about thinking of the browser, the thing that makes the magic of our code comes to life?
In this talk, we get a small glimpse of how the browser is working on a very general view and why we should dedicate some time learning about it to be a real webmaster.
9. Imagine This: A Web Without Servers
This idea might be a bit strange but surely you have heard about BitTorrent and the Tor network.
Then how about a peer-to-peer browser? This talk is about a browser called Beaker which allows P2P browsing. This is an exciting step towards a more open and customizable web.
10. What’s New in JavaScript (Google I/O ’19)
As a developer, you have to stay up-to-date with all of JavaScript’s new features that would make you feel more comfortable focusing more on your web application business logic.
This is the most recent talk from Google about new features added to V8, Node.js, and Chrome.
A must-watch on this list, primarily for the latest trend to make internationalization easier for JavaScript developers.
Bonus Tip
If you want more, there are lots of talks — just search for the topic + the word ‘Conf’ so JSConf and ReactConf, …etc.
Thanks for reading!
