Rocky Conditions:
Scaling JavaScript
A journey of trying not to fall.
The Beta: Naming Things (Variables)
When it comes to climbing, every route has a rating. The higher the number, the harder it is. Currently, I am projecting around a V5.
Let’s say I enter the gym. I tune the noise out to scope out a V5 that intrigues me. Before I even chalk up, I have to identify the pieces. That’s a crimp. That’s a jug. That’s a terrible sloper. I give these holds names and store them in my brain.
JavaScript variables are my mental sticky notes. They are the names I give to pieces of data so I can reference them later. We define these with let and const. let allows you to change the values later if need be—like realizing a crimp is actually a pinch once you're on the wall.
The False Start: Listening (Events)
Mid-Route Panic: Decision Making (Conditionals)
I watch experienced developers code with the same awe and confusion I feel watching someone casually flash a V8. Then come the Conditionals.
I reach a point on the wall where I don’t know where to go. If I match hands, I can grab the next hold. Else, I need to shift my hips to keep from falling. JavaScript is the exact same live-evaluation of state. Depending on what is happening, the code determines the next step.
The Switch: classList.toggle
In climbing, you exist in one of two states: you are either on the wall, or you are off the wall. Tension, or rest.
In JS, classList.toggle is how we switch between states. It is the flip of a switch. Stepping onto the wall turns the intense "project mode" on, and dropping back down to the mat toggles it back off.
The Wall: Organization (Design Tokens)
Think about the whole wall in a climbing gym. If every route was the exact same color, it would be utter chaos. To fix this, one route equals one color. --route-color: blue.
Design tokens and CSS properties are the tape and hold colors of a website. They organize the visual system, reduce redundancy, and keep things efficient.
Muscle Memory (localStorage)
Every time you attempt a route and fall,
your mind isn't erased. You don't forget
the moves you just did. Your muscle
memory is localStorage.
It ensures the browser remembers the actions
the user takes, just like my body remembers
that a specific foothold is slippery so I can
adjust on the next attempt.
Me trying to work on this final
The Send
Overall, this has been a treacherous journey. Rocky, to say the least. I am still learning, and I am nowhere near a pro developer or a pro climber.
Sometimes I’ll reach the end with ease, and feel confident in my abilities. And others I won’t finish anything I try to do. But I’m somewhere on the wall, and I am figuring out the next move.