LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning JavaScript Essential Training — Honest Analysis of 22 Learner Opinions
Morten Rand-Hendriksen's JavaScript Essential Training is a well-produced, clearly taught introduction to JavaScript that stands out for its modern pedagogical approach and interactive code challenges. The 4.7/5 platform rating across more than 16,000 reviews reflects genuine learner satisfaction with the clarity of instruction and the course's thoughtful structure. The primary limitation is depth: at 6 hours, the course is best understood as a polished foundation rather than a comprehensive JavaScript education, and learners targeting employment will need substantial follow-up. For those with LinkedIn Learning subscription access — especially through an employer or school — it is one of the strongest entry points available for absolute beginners to the language.
Final score
from 22 analysed opinions
Published AI-researched, editor-audited
Distribution of opinions
Per-criterion scores
The 2021 redesign covers variables, data types, objects, arrays, functions, loops, conditionals, DOM selection and manipulation, event listeners, and closures across roughly 6 hours 14 minutes of video. Reviewers praise the modern ES6+ syntax used throughout and the logical, progressive structure. The course's "objects first" ordering — starting with objects and methods before covering data types and functions — is polarising: blog reviewers like Nick Simson praise it as an accurate reflection of how modern learners encounter JavaScript through frameworks, while some beginners on the LinkedIn Learning platform found starting with complex concepts challenging. Multiple sources note that 11 quizzes and CoderPad code challenges provide genuine interactivity that many comparable beginner courses lack.
Morten Rand-Hendriksen is described consistently across review sources as clear, concise, and methodical. The topfreereviews.com team analysis credits him with giving "clear and concise instructions so that learners could follow the course without troubleshooting." The nicksimson.com blog review notes his deliberate pedagogical philosophy of mirroring how modern JavaScript learners actually first encounter the language in the wild. No reviewers described him as dry or hard to follow; the occasional criticism targets the course's depth or the complexity of the chosen teaching sequence, not the instructor's delivery itself.
Access to this course requires a LinkedIn Learning subscription ($39.99/month or $239.88/year), which unlocks the entire 21,000-course library. Multiple independent platform reviews note that the subscription price is reasonable if you are actively consuming multiple courses, but feels expensive for a single course. Critics on BitDegree and Career Sidekick note that some technically equivalent content exists on free platforms. For learners whose employer or university provides LinkedIn Learning access at no personal cost — a common arrangement — the value equation shifts strongly in favour of the course. The certificate, while not accredited, is displayable on a LinkedIn profile and is noted by several reviewers as a practical career visibility benefit.
The course includes mini-projects and interactive code challenges powered by CoderPad with real-time feedback, which reviewers describe as more engaging than passive video learning. However, multiple platform-level reviews of LinkedIn Learning note that technical courses "lack in-depth projects" and that the practice elements "do not go far enough for those seeking comprehensive understanding." One LinkedIn Learning reviewer noted the course is "a very VERY dense course" but the practice elements are limited relative to the volume of concepts introduced. The course does not include a capstone or portfolio-ready project, which distinguishes it from longer Udemy alternatives.
The course covers genuinely modern JavaScript — ES6+ syntax, DOM APIs, event-driven programming, and the underlying concepts used in frameworks like React and Vue. Nick Simson's blog review specifically notes that Morten's object-first teaching sequence acknowledges that modern learners encounter JavaScript through frameworks before mastering fundamentals, making the course sequencing more industry-realistic than traditional textbook approaches. The limitation is scope: at 6 hours, the course provides a strong foundation but stops well short of async JavaScript, Node.js, testing, TypeScript, or the deployment patterns required for professional work. Most reviewers position it as a starting point requiring significant follow-up rather than a job-ready course.
What learners said
What people loved
5- Morten Rand-Hendriksen delivers consistently clear, concise instruction with no jargon — learners across multiple sources describe following along without confusion or needing to troubleshoot his explanations×11
- Interactive CoderPad code challenges with real-time feedback provide genuine hands-on practice alongside the video instruction, which most comparable beginner courses do not offer×9
- Modern ES6+ syntax used throughout — the course reflects current JavaScript conventions rather than legacy approaches, keeping the content relevant×8
- Unconventional objects-first teaching sequence mirrors how real developers encounter JavaScript in the wild through React and Vue, praised by experienced learners as more honest than traditional orderings×6
- 4.7/5 rating across 16,000+ reviews and 83,000+ enrolled students demonstrates strong, sustained learner satisfaction over multiple years×7
What frustrated learners
5- At 6 hours the course is too short to cover async JavaScript, Node.js, TypeScript, or testing — substantial follow-up is required before reaching job-ready proficiency×9
- Objects-first teaching sequence frustrates some absolute beginners who find starting with complex structures confusing before learning basic syntax and types×5
- Subscription pricing model ($39.99/month) makes the per-course cost poor value compared to Udemy alternatives unless you are actively consuming multiple courses or have employer-provided access×7
- Certificate of completion is not accredited and some reviewers note that employers and HR departments do not tend to recognise LinkedIn Learning as a credential-granting institution×6
- Course does not include a capstone or portfolio project — learners finish with concept understanding but no shareable built artifact×5
Real quotes from real users
“It helped us build our understanding of JavaScript by learning through practical examples and mini-projects.”
“It is a very VERY dense course but you will certainly be learning a lot especially with the practice elements.”
“Morten Rand-Hendriksen gave clear and concise instructions so that learners could follow the course without troubleshooting.”
“non mi è piaciuto il sistema di partire dal complesso per arrivare al semplice (roughly: I did not like the approach of starting from complex topics and working toward simpler ones).”
“The course takes a unique approach, starting with objects and methods before covering data types, the DOM, and then functions and events — which mirrors how modern learners encounter JavaScript through frameworks like React and Vue before mastering fundamentals.”
“it's a shame that linkedin courses are worthless — only for your self improvement, not really recognised by employers.”
“As long as you do minor research on your instructors and courses, there are no real drawbacks to LinkedIn Learning. The structured learning paths give you organised progression for career transitions.”
“The course design is innovative — teaching JavaScript in reverse order, starting with objects and methods rather than the basics. Morten acknowledges this is unconventional but explains why modern learners benefit from this sequence.”
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How we evaluated this
This review synthesizes 22 opinions collected across the public web. Final score = Bayesian average penalising small samples, then weighted by the positivity ratio. No paid placements, no hidden agenda.
- 8 from Official course platform
- 7 from Blogs
- 3 from Forums
- 4 from Other