How to Start Learning React, JavaScript, or Web Development on Scrimba
Scrimba is an interactive coding education platform where you learn React, Vue, Angular, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Node.js, and broader web development through hands-on courses and tutorials. To get started, go to scrimba.com, browse the course catalog by topic, pick a course that matches your level, and begin working through it directly in the browser. The platform is best suited to learners who want to write and run code while following along rather than only watching videos.
What you can learn on Scrimba
Scrimba's stated focus areas are:
- Front-end frameworks: React, Vue, Angular
- Core web languages: JavaScript, HTML, CSS
- Back-end / runtime: Node.js
- General web development and related tutorials
If your goal is one of these specific technologies, the platform covers it. If you want a topic outside this list, check the catalog before committing.
How to find the right starting point
The main decision is which technology to begin with, and that depends on where you are now.
| Your situation | Sensible starting point |
|---|---|
| Never written code before | HTML and CSS fundamentals, then JavaScript |
| Comfortable with HTML/CSS, new to programming | JavaScript |
| Comfortable with JavaScript, want to build UIs | React (or Vue/Angular) |
| Want to work with servers and tooling | Node.js, after JavaScript |
The general order — markup and styling first, then a programming language, then a framework — exists because frameworks assume you already read JavaScript comfortably. Skipping straight to React without JavaScript basics usually means spending more time confused than building.
Steps to start a course
- Go to scrimba.com and open the course catalog.
- Filter or browse by topic — look for the JavaScript, React, HTML/CSS, or web development sections.
- Read the course description and prerequisites to confirm it matches your current level.
- Open the first lesson. Scrimba's format is interactive: you work inside the lesson environment rather than only watching.
- Code along, then pause and modify. The value of the interactive format comes from changing the code yourself and seeing what breaks.
- Finish a course before starting three others. Depth on one path beats scattered progress across many.
What to prepare before you begin
- A modern browser. The interactive lessons run in the browser, so keep it updated.
- A free account, if the platform requires one to save progress — check the sign-up flow when you arrive.
- Time blocked in consistent sessions. Short, regular practice beats occasional long sittings for programming.
- A place to keep your own code. Even if lessons run in-browser, copying exercises into your own editor helps the material stick.
Common sticking points
- Starting with a framework too early. If React feels impenetrable, the gap is usually JavaScript, not React.
- Watching without typing. The interactive format only pays off if you actually write and alter the code.
- Course-hopping. Finishing one path end-to-end gives you a working mental model; sampling five gives you fragments.
- Assuming cost or access details. Scrimba's site describes the platform and its course topics; check the current site for what requires an account or payment rather than assuming.
A practical first week
Pick one track — for example, JavaScript if you already know some HTML, or HTML/CSS if you're starting from zero. Complete the first module, then rebuild one small exercise from scratch without looking at the lesson. If you can do that, continue on the same track. If you can't, repeat the module before moving on. That single test tells you more about whether you're ready for the next level than any course description will.