HTML5 Programming with JavaScript For Dummies

Chapter 1

HTML, Say Hello to JavaScript

In This Chapter

Understanding what JavaScript is

Understanding how JavaScript fits in with HTML5

JavaScript is a text-based scripting language that’s interpreted by a client system to perform tasks in various settings. The most common setting is within browsers. A developer wants to do something special, such as accept input from a form, and JavaScript makes it possible.

JavaScript appears in many other places. For example, Windows has long allowed the use of JavaScript to create applications, and now it has an even bigger role with Windows 8. (See http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/apps/br211385.aspx for details.) Special versions of JavaScript also support application development on the Macintosh. (See www.latenightsw.com/freeware/JavaScriptOSA as an example.) In fact, you can even run Linux in a browser by using a JavaScript emulator. (See www.webmonkey.com/2011/05/yes-virginia-that-is-linux-running-on-javascript for details.) The point is that JavaScript is a language that appears in all sorts of places on many different operating systems. When you discover JavaScript, you open an exciting new world of programming that works on myriad platforms — a dream that developers have had for a very long time.

This book doesn’t explore ...