Beginners Guide to Javascript

Many of the features you see on Web Pages like form checking, PopUps etc are not HTML features, but are created by using JavaScript.Although you may not want to write Jacascript you may want to incorporate script elements in your pages.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is an interpreted language; meaning that the computer evaluates the commands before it executes them. The command themselves are human readable. JavaScript script commands are mixed with HTML commands and are interpreted by the web browser. Most modern web browsers have support for JavaScript but this support can be disabled/enabled for security reasons.

What You can do with JavaScript

• Validate user data entry
• Write dynamic HTML/XHTML
• React to events like on page load on mouse over.
• Set Cookies on the user machine

What You can't do with JavaScript

• Read or Modify files on the client machine
• Read or Modify files on the web server
• Cannot read information from web pages that originate from a different server.
• Cannot close windows that it didn't open

Starting JavaScript is short tutorial series is designed to teach you enough about JavaScript so that you can confidently use ready made scripts in your own web pages. It will also have enough information so that you will be able to write your own very basic scripts, but more importantly edit/troubleshoot simple scripts.

About the author

Stephen Cope is a freelance trainer and the webmaster at www.build-your-website.co.uk. Where You will find hundreds of articles on how to build a website, both business and personal,and where you can sign up for his free make your own website newsletter.

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