Colors on code challenges

You are getting too caught in transcribing what teachers are saying on screen. You need to focus on learning the concepts not typing out word for word what someone else is saying.

Videos are meant for learning concepts not as a syntax reference, that's what HTML Dog is for.

Also you skipped quite a few courses including CSS & JavaScript Foundations, you might find it easier if you follow the Learn JavaScript & jQuery learning adventure.

I have progressed throught the lessons in order since

The learning adventures are the order they were designed to be viewed in, judging from your profile it looks like you have skipped over quite a bit foundational content on CSS & JavaScript. CSS is an extremely important prerequisite for JQuery, which can be thought of a type office-flavored JavaScript.

why the code challenges are color coded differently, is this to make sure that it's difficult to compare quickly to the lesson code?

People often get tripped up by following the videos too closely. There's not suppose to a direct 1 to 1 match between the videos and the code challenges. Text editors often have different syntax highlighting styles. In programming you often have to learn on how to go from the specific to the general. To figure out what an error looks like in a text editor, to take an educated guess if syntax highlighting doesn't look right and then double check your syntax.

The videos are for learning concepts, a concept in JavaScript would be What is a string or What is a method.

These concepts apply to all programming languages once you understand how the concept works you just need to learn the syntax of the language you are using. Understanding programming concepts require critical thinking and problem solving skills. Syntax on the other hand is merely applied memorization.

Sorry, just confused on the learning model since I am under the impression you can learn from a complete novice level of programming languages.

Learning programming is a bit like eating a balanced meal, Treehouse is a main course other resources like a syntax guide are your sides of fruits & veggies. You can't learn everything from one place.

JSBin is pretty awesome because it has a built in debugger that would immediately tell you there was a syntax issue with your code. Once you know there's a syntax issue and realize you don't know what mistake you made then it's time to consult a syntax reference. My advice for learning JavaScript to use HTML Dog, Sitepoint Reference & devdocs.io (in preference order) for all of your syntax needs.

Just a note to add to this coversation, and maybe you can pass it along.

When I started I saw in the library "Websites" which is why I came to TreeHouse, to improve my website building skills. I have a pretty good idea of how they work, but was not taught advanced programming language in college to prep for making websites via Photoshop and dreamweaver.

Basically along the way, "Websites" made it clear that it was ok if I was not familiar with writing code yet like CSS because they would ease me into it, and I was pretty familiar so I wasn't worried. As you progress in "Websites" you get to "jQuery" and that is where I was caught up because of the syntax I was unfamiliar with.

At this point I decided to look for a dedicated section on javascript to learn the language better. I found one area that was a deep dive on javascript. Up until this point I thought "Deep Dives" were more advanced courses not more indepth ones on specific content from beginner to intermediate.

So I started javascript deep dive and the instructor kept mentioning how "As you learning in 'Intro to Programming'..." which confused me because along this entire process it was not required to have had gone through that course.

So now I am starting from scratch with intro to programming and it's very helpful, but I just wanted to let you know that maybe it would be smart to have a notice before certain areas that say "Intro to Programming course is strongly recommended before contining forward" or something to that effect. Maybe even placement test to see what courses you should take to make sure you are prepared with the right languange skills before entering something like the "jQuery" area.

I just want to try to point this out so others in the future who are literally told "Don't worry about not being familiar with coding at this point" don't take it literally like I did, because I should have worried about not being entirely familiar.

**** Also, I didn't skip anything, I didn't start at the "Become a Web Designer Learning Adventures, and actually I didn't even know there were Learning Adventures until just the other day when I got really stuck. I don't really appreciate how you made me feel about my coursework here. I am doing the best I can and don't need criticism when direction isn't clear to begin with. I started at the Library home page and went to "Websites" and followed the lessons as they are presented to me. If you think someone should do something different, don't leave the "foundations" training at the bottom of the page, or on another page entirely.****

It's really no problem, as you and anyone else here would know, code can be frustrating! It's just hard when you've looked and looked and you think you understand the syntax well to have someone kind of allude that you have not tried hard enough at something.

I take no offense and criticism is welcomed, just try to buff it with some other pleasantries next time haha. I'm sure i'm not the only one who gets straightforward comments and interprets it horribly. I appreciate the help. I'm not past jQuery and onto bigger and better stuff!