Overview
This lecture introduces JavaScript, explaining its importance in web development and demonstrating basic ways it interacts with HTML and CSS to create dynamic web pages.
Web Development Languages Overview
- HTML provides the structure and content of a website.
- CSS is used for the layout and styling of web pages.
- JavaScript controls the behavior, interactivity, and dynamic features of web pages.
JavaScript Basics and Examples
- JavaScript can change HTML content, such as updating the text in a paragraph when a button is clicked.
- It can alter HTML attribute values, like switching an image's source to simulate turning a light bulb on or off.
- JavaScript can modify CSS styles, allowing changes to font size, hiding elements, or showing them based on user actions.
- These features make web pages interactive and responsive to user input.
JavaScript Background Facts
- JavaScript was created by Brendan Eich in 1995.
- Its official name is ECMAScript, and it is unrelated to the Java programming language.
- JavaScript is pre-installed in all modern web browsers and is free to use—no downloads needed.
Key Terms & Definitions
- HTML — the markup language for structuring web content.
- CSS — the style sheet language for designing the layout and appearance of web pages.
- JavaScript — a programming language that adds interactivity and dynamic features to web pages.
- Attribute — a property of an HTML element, like 'src' for an image.
- ECMAScript — the standardized name for JavaScript.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Experiment with the lecture examples by editing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in an interactive editor.
- Try using JavaScript to change content, images, and styles on your own web pages.