JavaScript Lessons

JavaScript (abbreviated “JS” ) is a cross-platform, interpreted programming language used to create interactive web pages and applications. JavaScript functionality can improve user experience on a website, from updating social media feeds to displaying animations and interactive maps. JavaScript was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich, while he was still an engineer at Netscape.  JavaScript is dynamically weakly typed and can be used for both client-side and server-side development.

This JavaScript tutorial is designed to help both beginner and more experienced programmers master the fundamentals of JavaScript, from basic syntax and data types to advanced topics such as object-oriented programming and DOM manipulation.

Features of JavaScript

JavaScript is similar to Java, Python, Go, C#, but has its own characteristics:

   No need for compilers.  Since JavaScript is an interpreted language, it doesn’t require a compiler to run. Code written in an interpreted language doesn’t need to be compiled. It’s written and immediately passed to the interpreter, who executes it immediately. This speeds up development, but requires an interpreter. Since the JavaScript interpreter is built into all modern browsers, this isn’t a problem.

   Dynamic typing. JavaScript is a weakly typed  or dynamic language. This means you don’t need to define the type of a variable in advance. The type is determined automatically at runtime. This also means you can use a single variable to store data of different types.

   Integration with HTML and CSS. HTML is the HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and CSS is the stylesheet used to define the appearance of web pages. JavaScript is used to bring web pages to life—to make them interactive and dynamic.

   Backend-friendly. JavaScript code can run both in the browser and on the server. This means it can be used to write not only interactive page elements but also the server-side portion of a website. With the Node.js framework, JavaScript has migrated from the client-side to the server-side, making Node.js a powerful tool for server-side development.

JavaScript Applications

   Web development. Adding interactivity and dynamism to static websites is what JavaScript was originally designed for in 1995. With AngularJS, this can be achieved very easily.

   Web Applications. Thanks to advances in technology, browsers have become so sophisticated that a special language for creating web applications is required.

   Server-side applications. Node.js brought JavaScript from the client to the server, making Node.js a powerful tool for server-side development.

   Games. The combination of JavaScript and HTML5 makes JavaScript popular in game development. It provides the EaselJS library, which offers solutions for working with rich graphics.

   Smartwatches. JavaScript provides the Pebble.js library, which is used to develop smartwatch apps.

   Art. Artists and designers can create anything they want using JavaScript to draw on the HTML5 canvas. Beyond drawing, it also offers the ability to enhance audio, using the p5.js library.

   Machine learning. The ml5.js library is used in web development using machine learning.

   Mobile apps. Using React Native, you can create mobile apps for various operating systems.

   Browser extensions. Small programs that provide additional functionality, such as blocking ads, saving audio, sending notifications about new emails, or changing a website’s color scheme.

Introduction

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