Introduction

Learning web development is difficult, and it takes a lot of time, more blog posts to read and effort. But with this list of books, you'll have access to a library's worth of quality content on the web development world at your fingertips.

The list of the following books made to help you stay competitive in this ever-changing industry, I've compiled the 15 best web development books that you need to read in 2022 / 2023. But first let us have some introduction about what is web development.

What is Web Development?

Web development is the process of designing and building websites. It includes many different aspects such as graphic design, user experience design (Ux user experience / Ui user interface), content management system, search engine optimization (SEO), and a lot of code lines.

In other words, web developers are responsible for the front-end / back-end of a website, including the look, if it’s responsive web design and the way it functions as web apps.

A web developer needs to be well-versed in all these areas in order to create a successful website and to be qualified for front-end developer jobs, as well as back-end.

To make it more easy for you to understand I’d say the web development can be broken down into two pieces: front-end and back-end.

Let us start with the Front-end web developers they are the ones responsible for what you see when you visit a website. front-end languages (e.g. HTML, JavaScript and CSS)

While Developers who work on back-end are the ones in charge of what you don't see on the server side. The back-end would build reusable code and libraries for future use - they take care of all the "under the hood" stuff.

Programming languages in the back-end (e.g. Node.js, Java, Ruby, PHP and Python).

What Makes a Good Web Development Book?

We're going to know what makes a good web development book? We will also look at some of the best books out there and give you an idea of how to get started with learning web development.

A good web development book should have a balance between theory, interactive front-end web development, and backend practice examples.

It should also have a great introduction, meaning the book should take you from beginner (basics of web development) to mastery (advanced concepts and advanced level) the nerd level.

It should provide you with enough information to not only build a website but also understand the underlying principles that govern how it works. It provides a deep dive into web standards with a comprehensive guide.

1) HTML & CSS: Design and Build Websites + JavaScript & JQuery book: Interactive Frontend Web Development (Set of 2 Volumes / by Jon Duckett)

 

 

If you say jQuery in 2022, you would probably be right, but jQuery is still carried by a lot of websites out there that have been built with it and are not going to disappear soon. You'll need to know enough to help you migrate into a newer framework and different library.

If you're a newbie and don't have much programming experience, this book is still for you. It includes infographics and diagrams, and the author made it in a way that won't make you bored at all. So these books are perfect for those who are just beginners in web development.

This is one of the most popular books out there in the market with many positive reviews. It has enough information to appeal to beginners while also answering the needs of those who are more experienced.

2) Eloquent Javascript, 3rd Edition: A Modern Introduction to Programming (by Marijn Haverbeke)

 

 

This fantastic book is a great catch for beginners. The flow and the details make it so much easier. With mouseover definitions, interactive code examples, and relatable tests, this book is great. Many people around the world have found this book to be by far the best.

If you're ever looking for a worthy programming book, you should seriously consider checking out Eloquent JavaScript. It's basically become the gold standard for technical books in this industry.

3) You Don't Know JS : The series (by Kyle Simpson)

 

 

This series of books is a great addition to your arsenal, although some of the books are slim and you might think that they won’t be enough to explain JavaScript’s complicated topics with plenty of examples but I would say think again.

These books helped many developers to have strong and better sense of the JavaScript language. You’ll go deeper with closures for synchronous and asynchronous tasks. Master the "hoisting" concept and recognize the different scope patterns in the language.

4) PHP Objects, Patterns, and Practice (by Matt Zandstra)

 

 

This book I found to be an absolute essential for who wishes to develop deep dive knowledge in PHP. It will offer you insight into many OOP features and will give you the opportunity to learn and use design patterns in a practical guide.

5) Learning PHP, MySQL & JavaScript (by Robin Nixon)

 

 

 

This book is fantastic for anyone wishing to learn more about PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Ajax and CSS.

The book is a comprehensive guide to building dynamic web pages. The reader will be guided through the process of building a website using PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Ajax, and CSS.

I do think a general understanding of how coding works is essential to dive in, but I am by no means a professional or even at the intermediate level of many of these things and I understood everything pretty well.

If you take your time to understand this guide, it will work in your favor at the end. If you take the time to follow along with the hands-on coding examples, you'll be able to see how it works for yourself. It will surely add more nerd levels of your understanding to the topic.

6) The Road To React (by Robin Wieruch)

 

 

This book is written in a clear and technical style. You could say it’s a React’s documentation extension.

If you’re interested in getting to know more about React but can't find a tutorial or course with clear instructions and guidance, try this book. If you’re feeling lost between ton of exercises 'The Road To Learn React' is your way of learning.

7) Don’t Make Me Think Revisited (by Peter Coach)

 

 

A thoughtful book adjusting your mindset to the UX design and usability side of things. It is straightforward, thorough and quick to the point.

You might have some trouble with a smooth user experience design if you are not an accomplished UX designer, but with this book you will have the necessary knowledge to build a smooth flow and professional-looking UX websites.

8) If Hemingway Wrote JavaScript (by Angus Croll)

 

 

One of the most creative JavaScript books in the market. This book offers a fun way to explore JavaScript by bringing together many popular authors and thinking about how they would implement their work using javascript code.

9) JavaScript: The Good Parts (by Douglas Crockford)

 

 

The book is a little bit old—you might wonder why I'd include it in the list of top books in 2022. Because the book uses JS core and theory, which have not drastically changed much since the beginning. That’s why I still think it should be on this list for those who are interested.

Douglas Crockford admitted in this book that there were parts of JavaScript that were bad, but the book was named for the good parts.

After he demonstrated the bad parts, he stripped them away and showed the beauty of javascript and focus on the good parts. The book is also about how to take advantage of these good parts to solve more problems.

10) PHP and MySQL for Dynamic Web Sites: Visual QuickPro Guide (by Larry Ullman)

 

 

PHP and MySQL for Dynamic websites is a server-side programming book. The code examples are excellent and the explanations are descriptive in an easy way.

This book provides you with real-life code examples, best PHP programming and web development book out there. The book also include a good portion of session management and security topics.

Who doesn't wish they could quickly and easily learn the principles of object-oriented programming? This book can make that possible. Great book for newbies looking to grasp a deep knowledge of PHP and MySQL.

11) Fullstack Vue: The Complete Guide to Vue.js (by Hassan Djirdeh, Nate Murray, and Ari Lerner)

 

 

Frameworks in general make it easy to build very complex UI / UX and apps with minimal code. This is why they're popular.

Vue's popularity makes it one of the most oft-used JS frameworks.

This book will give you a strong foundation and understanding of the many concepts this framework is based on, and by the end, you'll be able to build shopping carts and so much more.

12) JavaScript: The Definitive Guide (by David Flanagan)

 

 

Whether you're just starting out or have some skills in the JS language and want to take it to the next level, this book is for you. This book has been a best seller for many years and is number one in the category of JavaScript Programming (Books) on Amazon.

13) Learn JavaScript With Interactive Exercises Visually (by Ivelin Demirov)

 

 

This book shows an excellent way of teaching and delivering information through interactive illustrations and metaphors. It follows the learning by visualization concept and simplifies the learning process for the reader.

With an adorable illustration, this book has all the elements to excite and inspire your children, who may not know anything about programming.

14) Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja (by John Resig, Bear Bibeault , Josip Maras)

 

 

If you're looking to speed up your learning process and take it further, you must have this book. The book covers the most popular JS topics, including complicated ones (e.g. prototypes, promises, closures).

It also includes a good portion on writing good regular expressions and by finishing this book, you'll be able to avoid JavaScript's application pitfalls.

This book is a must-read for JavaScript developers. It covers a wide range of topics that will help any developer to produce better applications.

15) Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and Web Graphics (by Jennifer Niederst Robbins)

 

 

This user-friendly book will guide you through your journey of building a nice UX / UI website. This book will teach you best practices for using HTML and CSS, as well as how to make your design fully responsive to adapt to screen sizes for a better user experience.

Conclusion:

The list is just a guide and can be summed up in the following quote: "A good book of web development is the book you read and gives you insights, practical real-life examples, and a strong foundation.

In my opinion, there is no such thing as a perfect book, but there is always a good reading and learning experience. However, if one of these books on the list can give you that, then you found your perfect book.

Let me know in the comments if you find your perfect book, whether it's in or out of this list.