Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

JavaScript JavaScript Foundations Functions Arguments

Posted by Robyn Cantrell
Robyn Cantrell
7,603 Points

If the project files are no longer going to be included for download, can you include a workspaces launch?

It is easier to follow along while typing in workspaces than to have a usable window to a text editor opened and still follow the video/instruction. I do find that when I am spending so much time and focus typing code, I lose the core concepts being presented.

6 Answers

Jonathan Grieve
MOD
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points
Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

When I'm following along Treehouse videos, I have my text editor (be it my own or a Workspace). A copy of Evernote (which is a fantastic notetaking tool) and if necessary a pen and paper and I jot down any notes I think are worth remembering.

You probably won't take in everything you see in a video on the first watch. So, do it again! Reinforce what you've learned and most important of all, practice what you have learned. The Treehouse Videos are awesome, but nothing will help you learn better than by action.

Robyn Cantrell
Robyn Cantrell
7,603 Points

Jonathan Thanks for the great study tips ! The advantage to workspaces is the preview functionality. One can see what happens with the code and while the video is paused anyway, experiment a little bit to drive understanding...

I joined Evernote, I will give it a try and see what happens. If nothing else, I think that it may serve as a good overall PM tool for a project I am developing.

Thanks Again.

Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points
Jonathan Grieve
Jonathan Grieve
Treehouse Moderator 91,253 Points

Evernote is fantastic because any note you typed is saved directly onto a server and you can keep your notes organised on the app. So you don't have to worry about saving onto your hard disk drive.

I give and take with the workspaces. Even with the helpful syntax highlighting and code completion, I'm far too set in my ways with notepad++

Erik Wells
Erik Wells
5,403 Points

As annoying as it is to not have project files, I do learn more by opening Notepad ++ and typing along with the video. I do pause when ever I need to to keep up but I tend to retain the knowledge better that way.

Simon Tharby
Simon Tharby
2,951 Points
Simon Tharby
Simon Tharby
2,951 Points

Since it's JavaScript, you can run the code in most browsers.

You may want to follow along using any text editor, then you can simply copy and paste code into the java console in your browser. Not as flexible as a workspace, and you may need to execute each line one at a time, but you can certainly play with the code that way.

In Firefox you can also open a 'scratchpad' and save and run multiple line 'programs' in that. You can probably do a similar thing in Chrome, but as I don't use Chrome at them moment, I am not sure.

Here's how to open the console in either Chrome or Firefox (and the Firefox Scratchpad) : http://techdows.com/2014/09/how-to-run-javascript-commands-in-chrome-and-firefox-browsers.html

diannalord
diannalord
7,284 Points
diannalord
diannalord
7,284 Points

I use Evernote and my code editor too. Also, I've started using StudyBlue to create flip cards since learning a programming language is so much like learning a language like Spanish.

Robyn Cantrell
Robyn Cantrell
7,603 Points

Dianna,

Have to try StudyBlue, interesting idea.

I have reverted to the old school way ...pen and paper while watching an instructor teach. Then I go to the computer lab (my dining room table) and write the code in an editor and watch it run....

Shane He
Shane He
7,618 Points
Shane He
Shane He
7,618 Points

i miss the workspace when i was on the html section. i know this is probably more complicated but i wish there's more visuals to engage and explain the concepts better. now i'm getting a few things mixed up.

Robyn Cantrell
Robyn Cantrell
7,603 Points
Robyn Cantrell
Robyn Cantrell
7,603 Points

simon,

May I say... WOW!!! I didnot even know the scratch pad existed! I guess I should spend a bit of time getting to know Firefox. The console I got and am quite comfortable at the command line either a shell (cmd.exe) or console so that is not an issue. What I had been doing was opening the project files, making my own comments or even tweaks to fit other applications I am playing with. The scratch pad is a definite win on that front as I can play with the code, make comments and it seems I can also save the file.

Awesome advice! Thanks!!

elk6
elk6
22,916 Points
elk6
elk6
22,916 Points

I started using evernote thanks to your tips. Really helpfull. Thanks a lot. May i also suggest codepen as a good way to expiriment with HTML, CSS & JavaScript. You can code and see the result immediately. Also a lot of other people's code is available to look through. Really helpfull to try out coding.