JavaScript Basics Tutorial

Welcome to the JavaScript Basics Tutorial! This guide will help you understand the fundamentals of JavaScript, one of the most popular programming languages for web development.

Introduction
Variables and Data Types
Control Structures
Functions
Events
Further Reading

Introduction

JavaScript is a high-level, often just-in-time compiled language that conforms to the ECMAScript specification. It is widely used for web development, enabling interactive web pages and dynamic content.

JavaScript vs. Java

Contrary to its name, JavaScript is not related to Java. It was originally inspired by Java but has evolved into a completely different language.

Variables and Data Types

In JavaScript, variables are used to store data values. There are several data types, including:

Numbers: var num = 5;
Strings: var text = "Hello, World!";
Boolean: var isTrue = true;
Objects: var person = {name: "John", age: 30};

Control Structures

Control structures allow you to execute code based on certain conditions. Here are some common ones:

If/Else: if (condition) { ... } else { ... }
Switch: switch (expression) { case value1: ... break; case value2: ... break; default: ... }
Loops: for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) { ... } and while (condition) { ... }

Functions

Functions are blocks of code that can be reused. They can accept parameters and return values. Here's an example:

function greet(name) {
  return "Hello, " + name + "!";
}

console.log(greet("John")); // Output: Hello, John!

Events

JavaScript allows you to add interactivity to web pages by handling events. Common events include:

Click: button.addEventListener('click', function() { ... });
Key Press: document.addEventListener('keypress', function(event) { ... });
Mouse Move: document.addEventListener('mousemove', function(event) { ... });