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Tutorials --> JavaScript 1.2 --> Intro

JavaScript is a simple programming language that has unlimited uses and has become more popular on personal websites. You have most likely experienced JavaScript: scrolling text, light up images, press in buttons, etc. JavaScript is a scripting language and does not require a complier. By learning this language you as a web designer can make your website more useful and decorative.

JavaScript is not Java. Although there is a similarity in naming, Java is a more powerful language which requires a complier. JavaScript is used exclusively on the web, where as Java can be used to created software programs.

Netscape Communications invented JavaScript under the name Livescript. The language is heavily influenced by other languages (C, Perl) but was made for usage on the internet using Netscape 2. JavaScript became popular and a 1.1 version was released with Netscape 3. Microsoft released a rough version of JavaScript, referred to as JScript, for its internet explorer. Currently both Netscape & Microsoft are moving toward an ECMAScript merger so that JavaScript works the same in future versions of both browsers.

In order to program in JavaScript you need knowledge of HTML (obviously). If you have experience in languages such as C, Java, Visual Basic, and Pascal, JavaScript will seem relatively easy. The only necessary tools are a web browser (Netscape 3+, IE 3+) and a plain editor. If you use an HTML editor, you must check to see if it supports JavaScript.

99% of the time, JavaScript is written inside the <HEAD> tags. Here is the most simple example of the placement of a JavaScript:


<HTML>
<HEAD>
JavaScript Testing Page
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
  // JavaScript Here
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
</HTML>

Please note also that the JavaScript is held in the </SCRIPT> tag. When writing a script, you can use // to add messages that the browser will ignore. Sounding easy?