> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/getify/You-Dont-Know-JS/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get Started

> Begin your journey to truly knowing JavaScript with this foundational book that builds a solid understanding of the core language.

# You Don't Know JS Yet: Get Started

Welcome to the first book in the *You Don't Know JS Yet* series! This book is your foundation for the journey ahead.

<Note>
  Even if you've already written a lot of JavaScript, this book should not be skipped. Take your time to fully process the material here. **A good start always depends on a solid first step.**
</Note>

## About This Book

I emphasize the word **journey** because *knowing JS* is not a destination, it's a direction. No matter how much time you spend with the language, you will always be able to find something else to learn and understand a little better. So don't look at this book as something to rush through for a quick achievement. Instead, patience and persistence are best as you take these first few steps.

<Warning>
  This book is **not intended as a beginner/intro book**. It's written assuming you already have familiarity with JS over at least several months of experience before moving on in YDKJSY.
</Warning>

## What You'll Learn

This book lays out a high-level map of what you will find as you dig into and study JS with the YDKJSY books. In particular, you'll explore:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Language Foundation" icon="book">
    Understand what JavaScript really is, its history, and how it's organized and maintained by TC39.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Core Syntax" icon="code">
    Survey the major topic areas of JS syntax, patterns, and behaviors to get a better feel for the language.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Deep Roots" icon="tree">
    Dig into the lower-level root characteristics of JS including iteration, closure, `this`, and prototypes.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## The Three Pillars

All of JavaScript is founded on three foundational pillars:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Scope & Closures">
    How variables are organized and accessed, and how functions remember their scope.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Prototypes & Objects">
    How objects link together and cooperate through the prototype chain.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Types & Coercion">
    How JavaScript manages value types and converts between them.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Getting Started

Ready to begin? Start with the Foreword, then dive into the chapters:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Foreword" icon="message" href="/get-started/foreword">
    Brian Holt's perspective on why this series matters
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chapter 1: What Is JavaScript?" icon="circle-question" href="/get-started/ch1">
    Build a foundation for understanding JS's identity and process
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chapter 2: Surveying JS" icon="map" href="/get-started/ch2">
    Survey the major syntax and features of the language
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chapter 3: Digging to the Roots" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/get-started/ch3">
    Explore iteration, closure, `this`, and prototypes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Chapter 4: The Bigger Picture" icon="panorama" href="/get-started/ch4">
    See how the three pillars organize the entire language
  </Card>

  <Card title="Appendix A: Exploring Further" icon="compass" href="/get-started/appendix-a">
    Dig deeper into values, functions, and prototypes
  </Card>

  <Card title="Appendix B: Practice!" icon="dumbbell" href="/get-started/appendix-b">
    Practice exercises to solidify your understanding
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Tip>
  Take your time with each chapter. Even still, you'll probably finish with remaining questions. That's OK, because there's a whole book series ahead of you to keep exploring!
</Tip>

## Purchase the Book

You can [purchase the ebook/PDF from Leanpub](https://leanpub.com/ydkjsy-get-started) to support the author and get a portable version of this content.