P3 Summary: Prompt → Program → Proof
Prompt & Question
Prompt: Create a concise, self-contained brief of Eloquent JavaScript (4e) for developers deciding whether to use it for learning or teaching.
Question: What is covered, what’s new/modernized in the 4th edition, how is it structured (language → browser/Node → projects), and where can you read it online?
Data (Sources)
- No Starch Press product page (edition, pages, ISBN, description).[1]
- Official online book (4th ed., 2024) + license/code sandbox pages.[2], [3]
- Retailer bibliographic details (publication date Nov 5, 2024; pages; ISBN).[4], [5]
- O’Reilly listing with detailed contents and framing (Language → Browser/Node, projects).[6], [7]
- Booksellers with quick summaries of revised chapters (async, modules, objects).[8]
Logic (How we evaluate)
- Use publisher and official site for canonical facts and online access/licensing.
- Cross-check pages/ISBN/date with multiple retailers.
- Use O’Reilly/B&N for Table-of-Contents structure and project chapters.
Program (Driver)
A tiny “check” harness ensures every data-claim has at least one footnote in Citations.
// Pseudocode
const claims=[...document.querySelectorAll('[data-claim]')];
for (const c of claims) assert(c.querySelector('sup a[href^="#fn-"]'));
Proof = Reason Why + Check. “Reason Why” summarizes evidence; “Check” verifies structure.
Answer (TL;DR)
The 4th edition is a modernized, project-driven introduction to JavaScript that teaches the language first, then applies it in the browser and in Node.js, with five guided projects; you can also read it free online under a Creative Commons license (book text) with code under MIT.[6], [7], [2]
Reason Why (Evidence)
The No Starch page lists the 4th edition’s specs (456 pp; ISBN 9781718504103) and positions it as a practical, example-rich introduction; it also provides purchase and sample materials.
[1]
The official site clearly labels the book “4th edition (2024)” and states the text’s Creative Commons BY-NC license and that “all code … may also be considered licensed under an MIT license.”[2]
Retailer records place the print publication on November 5, 2024, with 456 pages and the listed ISBNs, matching the publisher data.[4], [5]
Check (Self-test)
Automated checks: (1) every claim cites a source; (2) required sections exist; (3) core metadata parses.
Running checks…
Dev Track: What You’ll Learn in the 4th Edition
- Language first. Part I covers core JavaScript: values & types, program structure, functions, objects & arrays, higher-order functions, object-oriented patterns, errors, regex, modules, and async programming.[9], [7]
- Two environments. The second half shows how to apply JS in the browser and in Node.js, with practical APIs and patterns.[6]
- Five projects. Full-chapter projects (e.g., robot, a tiny programming language) develop larger programs step by step.[9], [7]
- Modernized chapters. Descriptions highlight overhauls to asynchronous programming, modules, and objects to reflect current JavaScript style.[8]
- Open web version + code sandbox. The whole book is readable online, with downloadable source and an in-browser runner for chapter code and solutions.[2], [3]
Takeaway: Use it as a beginner-to-intermediate ramp that blends fundamentals, idiomatic modern JS, and hands-on projects across browser and Node.
Themes
- Project-based learning. Chapters interleave concepts with cumulative projects that force real program structure.[7]
- Idiomatic modern JavaScript. Emphasis on modules and async patterns updated for today’s ecosystem.[8]
- Accessible & open. Free online reading under Creative Commons; code MIT-licensed encourages tinkering and teaching.[2]
Studies & Context
- Edition & release. No Starch lists the 4e; retailers confirm a Nov 5, 2024 ship date and 456 pages.[1], [4], [5]
- Contents detail. O’Reilly/B&N entries reflect the two-part structure and project chapters used in the course-style progression.[7], [9]
Glossary (quick reference)
- Module
- A file or package that exports values for import elsewhere; the 4e treats modern module patterns in depth.[9]
- Asynchronous programming
- Managing tasks that complete later (events, promises, async/await); extensively revised in this edition.[8], [9]
- Node.js
- JavaScript runtime for servers and tooling; the book’s second half applies JS beyond the browser.[6]