The JavaScript Nest

Tutorial #1 - the basics.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a programming language which is used to program web pages. JavaScript is used for more complex applications than HTML which is the basis of web pages. If you look at the source of this page, you will find a mixture of JavaScript and HTML. The HTML is needed to make the page whereas JavaScript simply enhances it. There are several different alternatives to JavaScript which include: Dynamic HTML, Visual Basic Script, Perl. This web site uses a lot dynamic HTML as well as JavaScript. Dynamic HTML is quite complicated, but some of its functions are very easy. Visual Basic Script is usually used for DIY programming, where you make your own programs, but is rarely seen on web pages. Perl is very complicated, best left alone.

Why should I use JavaScript?

Most modern and up to date web pages use JavaScript. There is a limit to what HTML is capable of and JavaScript takes programming beyond HTML. If you were to take out all of the JavaScript in this page, you would be left with a rather boring web page.

What can JavaScript do?

The best answer to this question is to see for yourself visit the JavaScripts section of this site and view the wide array of JavaScripts ( a JavaScript is an application that has been made using JavaScript ). For a quick example, move your mouse over the links at the left of this page. "The text changes color?" Wrong! This is a simple (ish) trick involving two images, one red and one black. You will find out more about "onMouseOvers" (the technical name for an image changing technique when the mouse is passed over an image) further on in the tutorials.

JavaScript should NOT be confused with Java Applets or Java.

You now know what JavaScript is, why you should use it and what it can do, so lets move on ahead to the next tutorial.

JavaScript Tutorial #2 Writing JavaScript applications.

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