Introduction to JavaScript

Welcome to the tutorial

JavaScript is the third of the three front-end technologies that most webpages will use. We have already seen how HTML is used to add structure to documents and meaning to content, and we have seen how CSS is used to describe how that content should be presented. JavaScript's role is to add behaviour to the mix, and this allows us to build some intelligence and interaction into our web documents.

JavaScript also plays a fundamental role as the third element of the Web Standards Model and acts as the top later of progressive enhancement.

As HTML and CSS have evolved, they have taken on some of the functionality that used to be the preserve of JavaScript alone. For example, CSS can now be used to animate and transform elements in web documents. This has meant that we need to use JavaScript less frequently than we did in the past for basic interface design. However, JavaScript itself has also grown more powerful and is able to do many things that are not possible in HTML and CSS.

JavaScript is a fundamental tool for front-end designer/developers, and at least a basic understanding of it is essential.