Lesson:

Introduction to

JavaScript
Topics Covered:
Introduction to javascrip
History of Javascrip
Features of javascrip
Application of javascrip
Limitation of javascrip
Setting up node js and vs code for running javascript

Introduction To javascript
JavaScript is a popular programming language that is widely used to build web applications. It is a client-side
scripting language, which means that it is run by your web browser rather than on a server. This makes it a
good choice for building web applications that need to be fast and responsive, as the code is run locally on the
user's device rather than having to be sent back and forth between a server and a client. JavaScript is also
used to build mobile apps, create interactive documents, and build server-side applications with the help of
runtime environments such as Node.js.

History Of Javascript
JavaScript was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich, a programmer at Netscape Communications Corporation. It
was originally called Mocha, then changed to LiveScript, and finally, it was given the name JavaScript to
leverage the popularity of Java, which was a popular programming language at the time. JavaScript was first
introduced in Netscape Navigator 2.0, a popular web browser of the time.

In 1996, JavaScript was submitted to the European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) and it was
standardized as ECMAScript. This standardized version of JavaScript is still used today and is supported by all
modern web browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, etc.

In the early days of JavaScript, it was primarily used for simple things like form validation and simple mouse
interactions, but as browsers became more powerful and web standards evolved, JavaScript became more
widely used for building more complex web applications. With the introduction of popular libraries and
frameworks like jQuery, AngularJS, React, and Vue.js, it has become easier to build complex and powerful web
applications using JavaScript.

The emergence of Node.js in 2009 made it possible to run JavaScript on the server side and it became more
popular as a full-stack language, allowing for code reuse and sharing between the client side and the server
side.

Features Of Javascript
Ease of use: JavaScript is a high-level language, which means that it is easy to learn and use. It is also a
dynamically-typed language, which means that you don't have to specify the type of a variable when you
declare it, making it easy to write code quickly.

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 Cross-platform compatibility: JavaScript is supported by all modern web browsers, so you can use it to
build web applications that will run on any device with a web browser

A large developer community: There is a large and active community of developers who use and contribute
to JavaScript, which means that there are many resources available for learning the language and getting
help when you need it

Powerful capabilities: JavaScript has a lot of powerful features that allow you to build complex and
interactive applications. For example, you can use JavaScript to manipulate the HTML and CSS of a web
page, make asynchronous network requests, and work with multimedia and other types of data

Growing demand: The demand for JavaScript developers is high and continues to grow, making it a good
language to learn if you want to pursue a career in software development.

Application Of Javascript
JavaScript is a very flexible and powerful programming language. It is used in many different areas because it
can work both in web browsers (the part of the internet you see) and on servers (computers that provide
information to web browsers).

Some of the Common Applications of Js

Web Development: JavaScript is primarily used to add interactivity and dynamic elements to websites. It
allows developers to create responsive user interfaces, handle user interactions, and update web page
content without requiring a full page reload
Web Applications: With the help of modern JavaScript frameworks like React, Angular, and Vue.js,
developers can build powerful and complex web applications that provide a smooth user experience similar
to traditional desktop applications
Server-Side Development: JavaScript is used with Node.js to build server-side applications. Node.js allows
developers to create high-performance, scalable, and event-driven server applications that can handle a
large number of simultaneous connections
Mobile App Development: JavaScript is used in combination with frameworks like React Native and Ionic to
develop cross-platform mobile applications that run on both Android and iOS devices. This approach allows
developers to write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms
Game Development: With the arrival of HTML5 and WebGL, JavaScript has become a practical option for
making games that can be played directly in web browsers. Game engines like Phaser and Three.js make it
easy for developers to create fun and visually attractive games using JavaScript
.Browser Extensions: JavaScript is commonly used to develop browser extensions and add-ons that
enhance the functionality of web browsers, adding new features or customizing the browser's behavior
Data Visualization: JavaScript, along with libraries like D3.js and Chart.js, is employed to create interactive
and informative data visualizations on web pages, making complex data more accessible to users
Real-time Applications: JavaScript's support for asynchronous programming makes it ideal for building
real-time applications like chat applications, collaborative tools, and live data dashboards
Automation: JavaScript can be used in automation to build applications.

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Limitation Of Javascript
JavaScript, despite being a versatile and widely used programming language, has some limitations

Not supported by Old Browsers: Although JavaScript is supported by almost all modern web browsers,some
older web browsers may not fully support JavaScript, causing issues for users who use those browsers
Depends on the User's Browser: JavaScript relies on the user's web browser, so if someone disables it,
certain website features may not work as expected
Security Concerns: JavaScript can be misused by hackers to attack websites and steal information if
developers don't take proper precautions
Performance: JavaScript performance may vary depending on the browser and device, and overly complex
code can cause web applications to run slowly, negatively impacting user experience
Lack of Strong Typing: JavaScript's dynamic typing can lead to errors that may only be caught during
runtime, making it more challenging to detect certain types of coding mistakes during development
SEO Challenges: Some search engine crawlers may not execute JavaScript, leading to potential SEO issues if
critical content and links are hidden behind JavaScript-based interactions.

Setting up node js and vs code for running

javascript
Before starting working on Javascript, We have to set up NodeJs and Vscode . Lets understand how to set up
step by step process

Install NodeJS
Go to the Official website Of nodeJs
Download the latest stable version(LTS) of Node Js for your operating system(Windows, macOS or Linux)
Run the installer and follow the installation instructions

Verify Node.js Installation:

Open a terminal or command prompt
Type node -v and press Enter. This will display the installed version of Node.js.

Type npm -v and press Enter. This will display the version of Node Package Manager (npm), which comes
bundled with Node.js.

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Install Visual Studio Code
Go to the official VS Code website
Download the installer for your operating system.

Run the installer and follow the installation instructions

Open a JavaScript Project in VS Code

Launch Visual Studio Code
Click on "File" in the top menu and select "Open Folder."

Navigate to your JavaScript project folder and click "Select Folder."

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 Write and Run JavaScript Code
Create a new JavaScript file (e.g., index.js) in your project folder or open an existing one
Write your JavaScript code in the file.

To run the JavaScript code

Open the integrated terminal in VS Code by clicking "View" in the top menu and selecting "Terminal."

In the terminal, type node index.js (replace index.js with the name of your JavaScript file) and press Enter.

The output of your JavaScript code will be displayed in the terminal.

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