When JavaScript Becomes Important for C# Developers

Do I need to know JavaScript as a C# developer? Do I need to know JavaScript if I know Blazor? Do I need to know JavaScript if I already know Angular or React? These are the questions we will answer in today's episode of Dev Questions.
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[@caseyspaulding]

Good stuff. So helpful to know JavaScript! Avoided it for too long.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Glad it was helpful!

[@faisalalhoqani6151]

Great episode dear Tim, thank you and keep it up.

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@arashsafi525]

Thanks Tim, your answer very well

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@jezb7535]

Always amazing content. Thank you

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@andergarcia1115]

Thanks Master, this is a topic that's often misunderstood, and there's no ond better to clarify it than you.

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@dilzarahmed]

very important video, many thanks dear

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@rikudouensof]

There is no absolute. Like you said, it always depends.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Yep.

[@jamesbest3347]

There's so much value to learning javascript it's unreal. Even if you don't do any frontend at all the untyped nature of javascript allows you jam out demos/prototypes, algorithms, simple functions way quicker as a proof of concept. I was sold after making the game snake in like 5 minutes using canvas and javascript.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jeffsherman9638]

Hello Tim, do you cover how to create a JavaScript chart on any of your projects? One of the biggest mistakes I found with other videos others are covering is that they show you how to create a JavaScript Chart but it calls the database directly. Thats sounds like a terrible idea. Wouldn’t you want to use an api for the JavaScript Charts instead?

[@IAmTimCorey]

I definitely don't recommend JavaScript calling any databases directly unless they are local caching databases. Otherwise, you are exposing your database to the world. Yes, I would recommend an API for any client-side code (JavaScript or Blazor WebAssembly). I don't have a video on using JavaScript charts, but you could leave a suggestion on the suggestion site: suggestions.iamtimcorey.com

[@ghadeeral-awaidi6699]

What is the road map to learn blazor with. C# for front developer?

[@IAmTimCorey]

Here is a good roadmap, although this is before .NET 8 combined Blazor Server and Blazor WebAssembly into Blazor Web Apps (there is still a stand-alone Blazor WebAssembly as well). The only real difference in the learning order is that you should learn Blazor Web App in place of Blazor Server: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXrGcnR6oNGhiNEsi=3vu8JyQb-gtWauBi

[@leomac3464]

The better you know C# the easier you'll pickup JS. I started with C#, but struggled. I also knew from dabbling with ASP core MVC, that I'd needed to understand some JS if doing web based stuff. I still struggle with C#, because I haven't done much in the last 8 months. I've been doing HTML/CSS/Vanilla JS instead. I am better at those than C# now, comfortably. What I knew about C#, helped me heaps. Sure there's lots of differences, but there's lots of similarities too, as there is with other langs too. There's also lots more free JS resources for learning than C#. I'm just starting to get back into C# now.

[@IAmTimCorey]

Thanks for sharing.

[@samuelmbah8789]

I had just started to consider learning JavaScript. Been learning .Net about a year now and recently started to work on a new project with web API and started to feel like consuming the API, I'd need JavaScript. I wasn't sure if i was gonna start learning it until I got the notification of this video yesterday. At that moment, I knew it was the Universe speaking to me through Tim. The problem with selflearning is not trying to learn to code itself, it's knowing what to learn and when to learn it. And thats where videos like this come in. Thanks Tim Corey.

[@IAmTimCorey]

You are welcome.

[@webfax4146]

Do you have a JavaScript course?

[@IAmTimCorey]

I cover beginner and advanced JavaScript in my Web Development Mastercourse (along with HTML5 and CSS3): www.iamtimcorey.com/courses/web-dev-mastercourse/

[@webfax4146]

@@IAmTimCorey thank you. I have the Dev Pass already so I will definitely put it on my list. I've avoided it too long!

[@RubenALopes]

I dream of the days where a decent language can be used to manipulate the DOM 😂

[@IAmTimCorey]

Honestly, I like JavaScript a lot. The key is to not abuse it into doing more than it should. That's the part that really makes JS look bad, in my opinion.

[@gahshunker]

I know that you are a c# tutor, but…if you still need to learn JavaScript for frontend, why not learn/use it on backend? Or why would you advocate c# on backend rather than the backend flavor of JavaScript/Typescript

[@oboynitro]

Javascript on the server is a disease, on the browser is where it belongs

[@verc.online]

I guess, a language choice depends not only on primary work. Eg, I'm doing web development, but also developing games and some desktop stuff so C# suits more for me, also it provides WASM framework for web frontend. Of course if you focus only on web Dev, you can pick up JS

[@muzamilmehmood1398]

Because at the end of the day it is a scripting language and the basic working principles is different than what C#, C++ or Java can do, these languages are faster than scripting languages because scripting language code normally interpreted and code executes line by line while your C# C++ and java application are normally compiled and the emphasize is on high performance, well structured approach to software design and they typically provide more features for large applications development while oir scripting languages are typically used for automating repititive tasks and rapid development and deployment

[@gahshunker]

@@muzamilmehmood1398 typescript is compiled, if that’s the main gripe

[@IAmTimCorey]

Good question. First, let’s start with a simple analogy. Imagine you build houses. You primarily use a nail gun to assemble the framing. Would you learn to use a hammer too? Yep, even though both do a similar job (drive nails). Different tools for different jobs or situations. The same is true for JS as a C# dev. There are times when it is useful. You can use JS to enhance your applications. Using JS everywhere isn’t something I recommend. It isn’t as performant as I would like on the server. It is also messier as a language. Typescript can help, but it also interiors own issues. As a developer, you are going to end up learning multiple languages. The keys are first to learn one really well and the second is to learn when to use the other languages to supplement your primary language.

[@harrisonwell1719]

Jonathan Blow says JavaScript Developers are mediocre Developers 🤔🤔🤔

[@IAmTimCorey]

That’s a really bad generalization. There are a lot of new/inexperienced devs using JavaScript because they think it is an easy way to get a good job (it’s not), but that doesn’t mean all JavaScript devs are inexperienced/bad.

[@andrenunes4032]

​ I am a C# developer, but I kind got this idea that JS devs get a Job faster. This is not true because of The concurrence (devs per position aplication) ? Or something ele?

[@IAmTimCorey]

It is a number of factors. First, it is going to be about the ratio. If there are 1000 applicants per job opening in JavaScript and 100 applicants per job opening in C#, it doesn't matter as much if there are three times the number of JavaScript jobs. Your odds of getting a job are greater where there is a more favorable ratio. Second, JavaScript is a deceptive language to learn. It feels very simple because it is simple to get started. However, that's like saying that building houses is easy to get started because you just need to know how to hammer a nail into a board. That's only true in the most general of senses. It takes a lot more than that to build a house well. The same is true for JavaScript. You can copy a few lines from ChatGPT and get something running in JavaScript. The problem is that you create a house of cards that will come crashing down if you do it to any scale (like a production app). This leads to a LOT of people claiming to be JavaScript developers, and some even have years of experience, who are not well-qualified candidates for real-world positions. Third, because of the number of people who get into JavaScript, the average pay for front-end JavaScript positions has fallen significantly. If you look at the Stack Overflow developer survey, you will see that front-end developer jobs lag behind other developer jobs in terms of pay. It is all about supply and demand.

[@Louisianish]

Ok, but Jonathan's opinion blows. It's literally in his name. 🤷‍♂️

[@torrvic1156]

Mr. Corey, can you answer a question about your courses? If I’ll purchase your course then will you allow to download videos by link or it will be just a link to see your closed videos on KZbin?

[@IAmTimCorey]

When you purchase my courses (not just rent through the DevPass), you get lifetime access. Part of that includes the ability to download the course content for offline viewing. My courses are not hosted on KZbin.

[@torrvic1156]

@@IAmTimCorey I understood. Thank you!

[@dsx7517]

When JavaScript Becomes Important for C# Developers? Dear Lord, hopefully never. 😅

[@IAmTimCorey]

As long as you avoid the most popular application operation and distribution system on the planet by far, you can probably get by without knowing it.