Lesson 1 +10 XP

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is the programming language of the web. It is the language that makes web pages interactive: buttons that work, forms that validate, animations, games, and much more.

The 3 languages of the web

Web developers use three languages together:

HTML defines the content and structure of a page.
CSS controls the layout and styling.
JavaScript programs the behavior and interactivity.

What can JavaScript do?

Change HTML content and attributes
React to user actions like clicks and typing
Validate form data before sending it
Animate elements on the page
Store and send data with APIs and JSON
Run on servers too, using Node.js

Runs everywhere

JavaScript is built into every web browser, so it runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, phones, and tablets. You do not need to download or install anything.

Not Java

JavaScript is completely different from Java. The names are similar for marketing history, but the languages share almost nothing.

Standards

The language is standardized as ECMAScript (ES). Modern features come from yearly updates, often called ES6, ES2020, ES2023, and so on.

TL;DR

JavaScript makes web pages interactive.
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the web trio.
It runs in every browser with no install.
It is not related to Java.
The standard is called ECMAScript.

What is JavaScript?