Robert Chen – How I Got Started With Javascript

Dive: Coder - Javascript
Description: Knows how to code using Javascript
Level: Level 1
Level Requirements: Can code in Javascript at a basic level
Certified On: Feb 21, 2019

Editor’s Note: On all dive certifications, we try to edit the writing as little as possible to preserve authenticity, personality, and writing style. We typically fix spelling errors, but minimally modify grammar and sentence structure (just enough to ensure readability).

Name: Robert Chen Break Diving Level: Level 1 Number of Certified Dives: 5 From: United States In: United States

1. When and Why Did You Decide to Pursue This Dive At This Level? What was your inspiration and motivation?

I started this dive when I was in eighth grade. I wanted to start making websites and Javascript is crucial to making websites functional. Whenever you click a button or interact with the website, it’s probably Javascript powering it. Javascript is a very powerful language that forms the basis for much of the modern web.

2. How Long Did It Take For You To Accomplish This Dive At This Level From The Day You Decided To Pursue It, And Why Did It Take That Long?

I think around a month. It was hard at first to learn but it got easier as I got more experienced. There is definitely a steep learning curve but it gets significantly easier if you put sufficient time into it. I think one of the tricks I learned was to work on projects that I sincerely enjoyed. This made practicing a lot easier.

3. What Was The Hardest Part About Achieving This Particular Dive Level?

Javascript can be messy sometimes. There are definitely a lot of “what the heck?” moments in javascript, especially as compared to other languages. My favorite (or least favorite?) is the “==” sign for equality testing. A lot of things that you wouldn’t expect to be equal are equal according to this sign. For example, “0 == []” is true for some reason!

4. What Was The Easiest Part About Achieving This Particular Dive Level?

There are so many resources online to help you understand any concepts you have trouble with.

5. What Is Your Advice For Someone Who Is Pursuing This Dive And Level?

Don’t give up. As with any programming language, Javascript can feel impossible at first, especially because of the many of weird design quirks. However, it gets a lot easier as you start to understand how the language works and as you get used to it.

6. What Are Some Of The Best Resources You Recommend to Those Pursuing This Dive At This Level, And Why Do You Recommend Them? Please Include Relevant Weblinks, If Applicable.

I recommend the following:

Resource 1: Break Diving's H.A.C.K.ers Group - There are so many coders on Break Diving, so you'll meet many others doing the same thing.

Resource 2: W3Schools - You can learn all the basics for free on this site.

Resource 3: -

Resource 4: -

Resource 5: -

7. Tell Us A Story Of One Of Your Adventures While Pursuing This Dive (At This Level).

Javascript can be a very interesting language to work with. But a lot of the features don’t make a lot of sense. For example, the standard equality operator “==” can lead to some very weird results, as I mentioned above.

In fact, this specific quirk caused me a lot of headaches when I was working on a Javascript project. The fact that 0 is equal to an empty array doesn’t and shouldn’t make any sense at all. And yet it does, and it caused a lot of issues for me.

After a few very long hours of debugging, I decided to use “===” in the future. Like the double equals sign comparator, “===” is also used to detect equality. However, it avoids many of the unexpected “features” of the former. It’s used to test for strict equality and avoids doing any typecasts.

This story shows just one of the many “features” to be found in Javascript. Some you may like. Some you may not!

8. What Evidence Did You Submit to Prove You Met the Requirements for This Dive and Level?

I am a member of the Break Diving coding team, and I act now as the lead Javascript programmer on the team. Anytime there’s an issue with Javascript, I am usually the first person Monroe (team leader) asks to investigate. Monroe and the rest of the team have completely verified that I know the basics of Javascript. [Editor’s note: He knows the basics, and then some!]

9. Will You Be Pursuing The Next Level For This Dive? If Yes, Why? If Not, Why Not?

Yes I will continue to learn Javascript. I’m going to start working on my certification now as Coder – Javascript – Level 2.

10. What is the Break Diver's Creed?

No Rules. No Excuses. No Regrets.

Certificate photo:

And having made this post, and provided adequate evidence to the dive committee, Robert Chen is now hereby certified by Break Diving, Inc. as: Coder - Javascript - Level 1. Congratulations ! Thank you for being an inspiration to others!

Certificate number: 5

The author above wrote this WYSEguidance post as one of the certification requirements to become certified by Break Diving, Inc. for a dive completed. Would you also like to find greater success, happiness, and friendship, and make genuine supportive connections with others around the world pursuing your same dreams? Come join us at Break Diving and soon your story will be the next one you read about on this site!

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