Research JavaScript Methods
The Big Idea
Developers spend a significant amount of time researching — not because they don't know things, but because knowing how to find and read documentation is itself a core skill. This challenge builds that skill while introducing you to JavaScript's built-in methods.
Your Roadmap
| Section | Time | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| How to research effectively | 15 min | ⚑ Required |
| Research JavaScript Methods | 2.5 hrs | ⚑ Required |
How to research effectively
You will search for technical answers almost every day as a developer. A good search looks like:
[programming language] how to [do a specific thing]
For example: JS how to find array length or JS how to access object property.
Useful sources to know:
| Source | Best for |
|---|---|
| MDN Web Docs | Accurate, comprehensive JavaScript documentation — the source of truth |
| Stack Overflow | Answers to specific problems other developers have faced |
| W3Schools | Beginner-friendly explanations (check MDN if anything seems off) |
| freeCodeCamp | Practical articles and tutorials |
| Your chatbot (Claude or Gemini) | Describing what you want to do and asking what method to use |
Using a chatbot for research: You can ask your chatbot things like "What JavaScript method would I use to remove duplicates from an array?" and get a fast, plain-English answer. This is genuinely how many developers work today.
One important rule: always verify against MDN before using a method. Chatbots occasionally invent method names that do not exist. MDN is the source of truth — if it is not there, it is not real.
With experience, you will learn when to read documentation carefully and when to skim to the relevant section.
Research JavaScript Methods
Step 1: Clone the repo
Go to your cohort's repo: javascript-methods — select your cohort in the top-right corner of this page to see the link. On the repo page, click the green Code button and copy the SSH URL.
Clone it to your machine and navigate into it:
git clone <paste the SSH URL you copied>cd javascript-methods
Step 2: Create your branch
Use your full name in lowercase with a hyphen:
git checkout -b your-branch-name
Step 3: Open and read the README
Open the folder in your code editor. The instructions for the exercise are in the README.md.
Step 4: Work through the exercise
Use git add and git commit regularly as you go — not just at the end.
Step 5: Push your work
git push origin your-branch-name