An Introduction to JavaScript
This week at EDA we dipped our toes into the world of 'JavaScript'. As we know, HTML provides basic content and structure to our webpages and CSS takes care of all the layout and styling, well JavaScript is repsonsible for our webpages interactivity and controlling all the moving parts using a selection of 'control flow statements'.
Control flow statements are sets of rules which tell the browser how to respond when different conditional statements are met. A good example would be the 'if else' statement which works by telling the computer 'if this is true, do this' otherwise, 'do this'; like when you leave the house in the morning and you think 'if it is cold outside, I will put on a jacket', otherwise 'I won't worry about it'.
Javascript stores multiple values of information in 'Objects' and 'Arrays'. The difference between the two being; arrays store all the information in a single variable, whereas objects can use multiple variables.
Another very useful tool in the JavaScript inventory are 'functions'. Functions are step-by-step processes that are saved under particular function names. When the function name is called, the process is initiated. For example, when you have your Cornflakes in a morning, there are very many steps involved; get the bowl out of the cupboard, find the cornflakes, open the box etc. We all know the steps in our head, and so when we decide to have a bowl of Cornflakes, all the steps happen seamlessly. This is 'functions' at work.
JavaScript is more challenging to learn than HTML & CSS, but where comes bigger challenges, comes greater satisfaction and so I am really looking forward to diving deeper into it JavaScript and reporting back to you. Until next time...
Cheers,
