| What worked for me (two years in webdev): 1. Start with vanilla JavaScript/DOM and try to make a small app with that. You'll learn encapsulating DOM into some kind of DIY views, and browser APIs such as pushstate, requestAnimationFrame, etc. This is an essential step. 2. (Optional) Try a classic MVC framework, simpler is better. Backbone is very basic and might be a good idea as middle step. Refactor your simple app to use Backbone views and models. Learn the hard way about their shortcomings. 3. Learn React and Flux (any flavor). Throw Backbone away. Ditch imperative DOM updates, learn top-down data flow. Even if you don't stick with React, other frameworks (e.g. Ember) are starting to embrace top-down data flow, and it's an essential concept that simplifies webdev so much. 4. (If you really feel like it) Try some Angular. This will help you see why one-way bindings, no templates, no direct DOM manipulation and minimal API surface rock over other approaches. 5. (If you want to stay on the edge) Try exotic stuff like Cycle.js or Om (or Omniscient.JS if you don't want to leave JS land). These build up on ideas React pioneered, but one uses Observables as primitive and other uses Cursors. |