JavaScript is a scripting language used to design a web page. You can think of it as a computer language that provides instructions to, for example, a browser, a server, or a program. As a scripting language, JavaScript is responsible for the interactive elements on a website. Think of forms, pop-ups, animations, games, and slideshows, among other things. With this in mind, you could say that JavaScript forms the third layer in the structure of a website. HTML lays the (content-related) foundation, and CSS defines the layout.
A selection of JavaScript’s capabilities
If you use only HTML and CSS for a website, you’ll end up with a static, unchanging website. That may be sufficient, of course, but sometimes you want a little more. As mentioned, JavaScript makes a website much more interactive—or, in other words, more dynamic. This should make the website more enjoyable or interesting for visitors. As a result, visitors are likely to stay on the page longer, which naturally offers plenty of benefits.
With JavaScript, you can add interactive elements to a web page. You can also determine to what extent the website visitor themselves triggers the interactive element on the website. Or, in other words: with JavaScript, you can set certain elements to move automatically, but you can also configure it so that a visitor must first move the mouse or click to activate the corresponding movement on the screen. And just to be clear: these actions can include pop-ups, animations, and special effects.
Not to be confused with Java
Given the names, it makes sense that JavaScript is often confused with Java. However, there are clear differences between Java and JavaScript. For instance, Java is a programming language and JavaScript is a scripting language. Additionally, JavaScript is visible to website visitors (client-side) and Java is not (server-side). Another major difference is that JavaScript is essentially “plain” text that is executed directly, whereas Java code must first be compiled (i.e., converted into the target language of the application in question) before it can be used.
Is JavaScript hard to learn?
Given the popularity and extensive capabilities that JavaScript offers, it is appealing to master JavaScript yourself. After all, some programming skills can help you perform your work more effectively. Moreover, it is highly beneficial for your resume once you can count these types of languages among your skills.
Is JavaScript difficult to learn? That depends on whether you already have experience with other programming languages and whether you have a good understanding of how websites work. In any case, it’s advisable to learn HTML first, then CSS, and finally JavaScript. That way, you gradually increase the difficulty level and, once you’ve mastered JavaScript, you’ll have a complete foundation for building websites. After learning HTML and CSS, you can expect to have a good command of JavaScript after a few weeks of intensive study. You can learn this through various courses, apps, and instructional videos, but learning on the job is also an option. There is a wealth of free information available online about how to work with JavaScript.
