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Introduction to Unit Testing

Dylan C. Israel's Pro-tier intro to testing your JavaScript as you write it: about 1.4 hours on the fundamentals of unit testing and why they lower your stress.

Quick answer​

Introduction to Unit Testing is a 1.4-hour, Pro-tier, intermediate course taught by Dylan C. Israel. It teaches the fundamentals of writing tests for your JavaScript so you can change code with confidence instead of crossing your fingers. It is a practical, foundational course rather than a deep tooling reference, and it pairs naturally with the same instructor's Clean Code course. Worth it if you write JavaScript and have never tested it.

Is it worth your time?​

If you have only ever verified your code by running it and clicking around, this is a worthwhile shift in how you work. Testing as you write turns "I think this works" into "I can prove this works," and the course makes that habit approachable in under an hour and a half. For self-taught developers, it is often the missing professional habit.

The honest caveat is that it is an introduction. It establishes the mindset and the fundamentals rather than touring every testing tool, mocking strategy, or framework. You will finish able to write basic unit tests, not as a testing specialist; for that you would keep practicing on real projects.

What you'll learn​

Across 24 lessons the course covers the core of unit testing: what a unit test is, how to write one, how to think about what to test, and how testing as you go lowers the stress of changing code later. The framing throughout is practical, testing your own JavaScript rather than studying testing theory in the abstract.

It is fundamentals-first. The goal is to make testing a habit you reach for, which is more valuable early on than mastering any one tool.

Who it's for, and who should skip it​

It fits developers who write JavaScript but have never tested it, especially self-taught coders building the professional habits that team environments expect. It pairs well with Introduction to Clean Code.

Skip it if you already write tests regularly and want advanced patterns like deep mocking or end-to-end testing, which this introduction does not cover.

Prerequisites​

Working JavaScript: functions, modules, and the ability to write small programs. You do not need any prior testing experience; that is what the course provides.

Where it fits​

This is a standalone career-skills course rather than a step in a specific path. It sits naturally alongside Introduction to Clean Code, since readable code and tested code are two halves of the same professional habit, and it benefits any developer regardless of stack.

Free or Pro​

This is a Pro course, so it requires a Scrimba subscription. Pro also covers the full career paths, the coding challenges, the Discord, and certificates. See current plans for what Pro costs in your region.

Strengths and limits​

What it does well: it makes a habit that intimidates many self-taught developers feel approachable, and Dylan Israel keeps it grounded in testing real JavaScript rather than abstract theory.

Where it is limited: it is an introduction, so it stops at the fundamentals and does not cover advanced mocking, integration, or framework-specific tooling in depth.

View Introduction to Unit Testing on Scrimba (opens in a new tab)

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