JavaScript: Novice to Ninja

Chapter 1Hello JavaScript

Now it’s time to start learning JavaScript. In this chapter, we’re going to introduce the language, as well as set up a programming environment. We’ll also write our first programs in JavaScript.

Here’s what this chapter will cover:

• programming

• the history of JavaScript

• the tools that are needed to program in JavaScript

• Hello, World!―your first JavaScript program

• JavaScript in the console

• JavaScript in the web browser

• another more complicated JavaScript program

Programming

Programming is about making computers do what you want. A computer program is basically a series of instructions that tell your computer how to perform a task. Unfortunately, though, computers don’t speak the same language as us―they only use ...