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JavaScript Fundamentals

JavaScript is an interpreted scripting language that is object based and full featured.

JavaScript is the programming language most frequently supported by web browsers. JavaScript code is embedded into the HTML of web pages. The code can interact with the Document Object Model (DOM), which represents HTML and browser objects. This enables web pages to implement dynamic features such as animations, transitions, text color changes, and text effects.

JavaScript that runs in a web browser is called client-side JavaScript because it runs on a client computer instead of on a web server.

The JavaScript language uses a syntax similar to that of C, and supports structured constructs, such as if...else, for, and do...while. Braces ({}) are used to delimit statement blocks. The language supports various data types, including String, Number, Boolean, Object, and Array. It includes support for enhanced date features, trigonometric functions, and regular expressions.

JavaScript uses prototypes instead of classes. You can define an object by creating a constructor function.

JavaScript is a loosely typed language, which means you do not declare the data types of variables explicitly. In many cases JavaScript performs conversions automatically when they are needed. For example, if you add a number to an item that consists of text (a string), the number is converted to text.

JavaScript for Internet Explorer 9 is the Microsoft implementation of the ECMAScript 5th Edition (ES5) language specification. JavaScript for Internet Explorer 9 also provides additional features that are not included in the Ecma Standards.

Writing JavaScript Code

Explains the organization of elements within JavaScript code.

JavaScript Variables

Explains the concept of variables in JavaScript.

Data Types

Enumerates data types in JavaScript and explains the purpose of each type.

Operators

Provides a list of operators with links to information about each operator.

Operator Precedence

Explains the rules that control the order in which operations are performed when an expression is evaluated.

Controlling Program Flow

Explains conditional statements and loops in JavaScript.

Functions

Describes the built-in functions and explains how to create new functions.

Objects

Explains the concept of objects in JavaScript.

Intrinsic Objects

Lists the objects that are part of JavaScript by default and explains the purpose of each object.

Creating Your Own Objects

Explains how to create an object by defining a constructor function.

Date and Time Calculations

Describes how to perform common calendar and clock tasks, such as manipulating and comparing dates, and calculating elapsed time.

Displaying Information in the Browser

Describes how to display data directly in the browser.

Using Message Boxes

Describes how to display information or request input in a message box.

JavaScript Reserved Words

Lists the reserved words in JavaScript.

Advanced JavaScript

Explains advanced JavaScript functionality, such as recursion, arrays, troubleshooting, and so on.

JavaScript Language Reference

Describes the elements that make up the JavaScript language.

Introduction to Regular Expressions (JavaScript)

Introduces the concept of regular expressions and explains how to create and use them.

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