Part 1

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a high-level, object-oriented, multi-paradigm, programming language.

What do we use JavaScript for?

HTML is used for creating the content (text, images, etc), CSS is used for creating the presentation (font, colors, etc), & JavaScript is used for adding dynamic and interactive effects to any web page. It's also used to manipulate HTML or CSS, load data from remote servers, and create entire web applications. HTML is like the noun, CSS is like the adjective, & JavaScript is like the verb.

Twitter example of JavaScript in action.

When you load up a twitter profile, JS is responsible for loading and accessing information such as your latest tweets, likes, replies, the news & trending card, and the profile card that pops up upon hovering over an account's name.

Common JavaScript frameworks.

Some of the most popular JavaScript frameworks include React, Angular, and Vue. These frameworks are essentially tools which allow developers to write JS more quickly and easily. It's important to have a deep understanding of JavaScript, before learning to use these frameworks.

Front end and back end uses with JavaScript, as well as native applications. JS isn't just something used in the web browser, it can also be used for backend use cases with the help of NodeJS. This allows the creation of back end applications, using web servers and databases. It's also used for frontend applications with effects and interactive features.

It's also possible to use JS to create native mobile & desktop applications, thanks to frameworks such as React Native, Ionic, and Electron.

JavaScript Versions

The JS language has evolved over time, having its biggest update in 2015 with ES5. ES stands for ECMA Script. Since then, there are yearly (smaller) updates that add a couple features each time. 2015's ES5 update forward is considered "Modern JavaScript".

What is a Variable, and what rules should we follow when making them?

A variable is essentially a box, in which we store a value for later.