What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a versatile programming language that empowers you to create intricate functionalities on web pages—its potential is virtually limitless! You can animate graphics in 2D or 3D, integrate scrolling videos, interactive maps, zoomable images, and even develop games. The opportunities are endless!

In the realm of standard web technologies, JavaScript works seamlessly alongside HTML and CSS. HTML serves as the markup language for structuring web content, allowing us to define elements such as paragraphs, headings, tables, and even embed images and videos. CSS, on the other hand, comprises style rules that dictate the appearance of our HTML content, enabling us to set fonts, colors, backgrounds, and overall page layouts using techniques like positioning, flexbox, and grid. JavaScript, however, allows you to introduce dynamic features, manipulate multimedia, and create complex animations.

Let’s illustrate how these technologies interact:

Here’s a fundamental HTML structure featuring a heading, a paragraph, and a button:

I am a headline made with HTML.

And I am a simple text paragraph. The color of this text is styled with CSS. Click the button below to remove me through the power of JavaScript.

Next, we’ll enhance the visual appeal with some CSS:

body {

font-family: sans-serif;

text-align: center;

padding: 3rem;

font-size: 1.125rem;

line-height: 1.5;

transition: all 725ms ease-in-out;

}

h1 {

font-size: 2rem;

font-weight: bolder;

margin-bottom: 1rem;

}

p {

margin-bottom: 1rem;

color: tomato;

}

button {

cursor: pointer;

appearance: none;

border-radius: 4px;

font-size: 1.25rem;

padding: 0.75rem 1rem;

border: 1px solid navy;

background-color: dodgerblue;

color: white;

}

Finally, we’ll incorporate JavaScript to add dynamic behavior:

document.querySelector("button").addEventListener("click", function () {

document.querySelector("p").style.opacity = 0;

});

In this scenario, when the button is clicked, JavaScript detects the event and adjusts the paragraph's opacity to 0, effectively removing it without the need for a page refresh!

This is merely the beginning; JavaScript has an extensive range of capabilities. I will delve deeper into various aspects of JavaScript throughout this series.

Now, let’s explore how to incorporate JavaScript into our web pages, enabling us to start experimenting right away.

How to Integrate JavaScript into a Webpage

Adding JavaScript to an HTML page is quite similar to including CSS. If you have experience with CSS, you might remember using <link> elements to connect to external stylesheets and...