How does this work? Do i need to know JavaScript or other languages? I’m only a few weeks into JavsScript and not going so well honestly.
I saw there is something for remixing apps…like apps on my phone? Where do I begin here or should I learn something else before trying this?
I went to this link but what do i actually do? Are there instructions for the tutorial?
Hey @rvakid82,
Glitch is a simple tool for creating web apps and a friendly community. The Glitch Editor is an online code editor with various tools like linting and formatting, mainly meant for Node.js (server-side and HTML, CSS, and JS (static client-side sites), although PHP, Python and other languages do work in a Glitch project. To see a complete list of languages that work just fine on Glitch, go to Language support on Glitch: a list.
When you remix a project on Glitch, you’re creating a copy of an existing project that you’re then able to edit and make any changes that you want. So for example, Glitch provides a number of community projects (created by other users) that are examples of doing specific things on Glitch that you can remix to get started with your own web apps quickly.
To quickly get started, Glitch offers 3 basic starter templates: ~hello-webpage, ~hello-express and ~hello-sqlite. ~hello-webpage is a basic webpage with only basic HTML, CSS and JS. ~hello-express is a Node.js project with Express routes configured. ~hello-sqlite is ~hello-express with an additional SQLite database. Or you can import from an exisiting GitHub repository. Of course, you can edit your projects as much as you want.
Glitch is open to everyone, from starters to pro. You can use Glitch as a learning tool as well.
Glitch FAQ: https://glitch.com/help/
Technical restrictions of a project: https://glitch.com/help/restrictions/ (to remove these limits, upgrade to Glitch Pro: https://glitch.com/pricing)
The React starter kit (the link of which you just posted) is part of a React Tutorial Series by Glitch: https://glitch.com/glimmer/post/react-starter-kit
For more starter kits like the one above, go to https://glitch.com/glimmer/category/starter-kits.
Usually, the README of each project is useful, you should read the README because most of the time it contains instructions on how to use that particular project.
You could start here: https://glitch.com/@glitch/learn-to-code
Some apps for productivity: https://glitch.com/@glitch/tools-for-work
And this page has a whole lot of projects and some tutorials for you to remix: https://glitch.com/create
Scroll to the bottom of the above page to see many collections containing a whole bunch of projects for various purposes.
Finally, Glitch’s YouTube channel offers a whole lot of tutorials: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEXPMR0aWP1RuwXyOy4iv0g
If you have any further questions, feel free to ask here on support.glitch.com or you can send an email to Glitch Staff at support@glitch.com.
Welcome to Glitch!
Thank you for the reply. I definitely need the starter courses. What changes do i need to make? I checked the readme and there are no instructions … https://glitch.com/edit/#!/starter-react?path=README.md%3A1%3A0 am I missing something?
I looked at the link you shared for remixes…I really don’t understand what do to…there are no instructions or tutorials how to. Should I learn something else first?
For that particular project, this video goes along with it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxuN26-_fls.
Before you remix the projects, you should have a basic knowledge of Node.js. Sorry for not mentioning that earlier.
That’s your choice, you can create something useful for you or others or anything or you can learn from that code, it’s completely your choice on what you can create. The possibilities are endless.
ok. I think I am in way over my head…I’ve googled Node many times but I have no idea what it does. Do I need to learn javaScript before learning Node? I watched the video earlier…I have NO clue what it is talking about. They mentioned React … do i need to learn that instead?
Node = JavaScript = React?
I just want to focus on learning right now…i don’t have any ideas. I don’t really use apps, I just do website design.
‘App’ here refers to a web app, more like a Node.js project. Although you can install some projects on to your phone as an app, they do not mean the mobile app kind of apps.
I recommend you learn JavaScript. Node.js is more like a framework that executes JavaScript code outside of a web browser, mainly the back-end (or server-side) of a project. So first learn JS, then learn Node.js. Once you have a basic knowledge of Node.js and a few shell commands, you can go on to learn React. React is a JS library for building user interfaces and better UI. If you learn JS and Node.js really well, React will be easier for you (because part of React uses HTML).
Thank you for the suggestions. I’ve been struggling to get through a basic JavaScript course for weeks I can’t remember anything and it’s so frustrating. I know HTML and CSS, some PHP… I don’t know what frameworks or execution backend… or any of the terms you mentioned. How do I understand how and what all this stuff does? I just want to be a UI designer.
I’ve been using Javascript professionally for years and you’re not alone, I also don’t particularly like it. There are plenty of UI/UX designers who don’t code anything whatsoever, so if JS isn’t your thing that’s ok.
Specifically with web apps, UI is handled in HTML and CSS almost extensively anyway. React (or the other common frameworks like Angular, Vue, and Svelte) help optimize a workflow and make it easier for teams to work together but they are by no means required. With just HTML, CSS, and PHP you might be surprised with how powerful they are. Whatever idea you have, I’d wager you could get a prototype done with those three languages here on Glitch.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I have no ideas for apps, I just need to learn JavaScript and these other nonsensical things (node, angular, react, etc) to be employable. I just want to find something simple to learn and everything is so advanced. I thought JavaScript was for user interactions but it’s also for teams to work together?? I’m so confused…
If you’ve got some free time I highly recommend this YouTube channel:
It’s a great resource that can give you an overview of all the different technologies and what they’re commonly used for. Everything looks advanced from the outside looking in because with code, you’re literally looking at a language you don’t speak. Start small, really small, take the small victories, and over time things will become clearer.
JavaScript is a scripting language. It was designed to run in the browser (Google Chrome, for example) to help facilitate user interactions.
A guy named Ryan Dahl came up with Node.js. His idea was to take V8, the JavaScript engine in Google Chrome, and integrate it in a stand-alone application specifically for running JavaScript. Since the V8 engine was so fast at the time, it was a good candidate for such use.
Meanwhile, the years of development experience at several major tech companies culminated in the creation of several JavaScript libraries. Facebook came up with a library called React, Google created AngularJS, etc.
Both of those libraries were packaged up and added to the official Node.js package registry, npm (either initially or some point after they were released). JavaScript developers using Node.js or any of its tooling can use those two packages (and many others) by adding them as dependencies in their Node.js projects. If they so choose, they can even add their own projects to the Node.js package registry for other people to download and use.
@rvakid82 I recommend starting out with watching some tutorials on how to make a discord bot with discord.js. This is how I first got to know Javascript, node.js and even Glitch. Even glitch has there own YouTube tutorial on it, but you can go really advanced with databases and stuff. There are loads of tutorials online. If you don’t know, discord is a messaging service (like WhatsApp) aimed at gamers. There a bots that send messages automatically and Discord made an API to do so. This means people can make bots to send messages and such. This is so people can set up simple moderation for their servers and even games for their members to play. It’s great and easy to learn, especially with Discord.js, the js package for the Discord API, and the wide variety of YouTube tutorials to help you do it.
Have fun!
Eddie
YouTube is great for learning and Stackoverflow is great for questions. Can’t tell you how many times that website has given me major code help. Just search something like “How do I _____ in NodeJS/React, etc.” and the site will often have an answer.
Yes. YouTube and StackOverflow are just too good.
Thank you for the info and recommendations. I’ve heard of discord but I wasn’t sure what it was. I’m not familiar with messaging services or gaming but I’ll try out the videos.
Thank you for the background info, I have a lot to learn. I found this exercise thru a beginning javascript webinar from thinkful…feeling pretty intimidated to say the least.
Thank you for the recommendation. I’ll give this a try but it looks too advanced for me, I checked out the playlists… can you recommend a starting point? Maybe the JavaScript course? I’m not sure what the other videos are about by looking at the titles.
Thank you for the recommendations. I’ll revisit stackoverflow, in the past most of the information there was over my head and I had trouble asking a question. Hoping I can get the basics down eventually and build from there
Or ‘why am I experiencing ________ error in ______’ 
@EddiesTech I found this tutorial https://www.sitepoint.com/discord-bot-node-js/ I need something REALLY basic. I don’t have any of those things in the prerequisites and I don’t understand what they are.
Is there something more simple for learning JavaScript or do I need to know bot/discord/api/whatsapp…something else first? I’m so confused.