Whether you’re just starting out on your journey as a developer or you’re exploring new programming languages, JavaScript is a great place to start.

In this article, we will dive into the universe of JavaScript, one of the most popular and widely used programming languages in the world today. Let’s start with an overview of what JavaScript is, followed by a discussion of where and how this dynamic programming language is used.

Next, we’ll cover some basics in order to help you get started with understanding JavaScript syntax and structure. And finally, we’ll offer some guidance and resources for your first practical steps.

Happy reading!

What is JavaScript?

To put it simply, JavaScript is a programming language used to create interactivity on websites. In other words, while HTML and CSS are used to create the structure and design of a website, JavaScript is what makes the website “come alive” by allowing users to interact with the pages.

Imagine, for example, a website with a sign-up form. Without JavaScript, users would be able to fill out the form, but nothing would happen when they clicked the “submit” button.

With JavaScript, however, the site can react in a variety of ways — by showing a thank you message, sending the form data to a server, validating the information entered, among other important things in the process.

Where can JavaScript be used?

JavaScript was initially designed to run in the browser, giving websites the ability to respond to user behavior. However, the language has evolved and expanded its presence to environments other than browsers.

Today, JavaScript is on several fronts, from the back-end to the front-end, as well as applications in machine learning, cloud computing, virtual and augmented reality, among others.

On the server side, JS is used through Node.js, allowing developers to create complete applications using only the language. JavaScript is also present in mobile applications (with React Native and Ionic, for example), in desktop applications, and even in Internet of Internet of Things devices. The language has proven to be very versatile and capable of solving various problems, whether simple or complex.

JavaScript Basics for Beginners

Before you take your first steps with JavaScript, it’s important to understand some basic concepts, which we’ll cover below:

• Web Standard: JavaScript is the only language that web browsers understand by default. This makes it essential for creating interactive websites;
• Variables: These are used in order to store information that will be used later in your code. In JavaScript, you can declare variables with the keywords ‘var’, ‘let’, and ‘const’;
• Functions: These are blocks of code that can be reused. Functions allow you to write a piece of code once and call on it as many times as you want;
• Objects and arrays: JS is an object-based language. An object is a collection of properties, and an array is a special type of object that represents a collection of elements;
• Event-Driven: The JS language is designed to react to user actions such as mouse clicks, keystrokes, or taps on a screen. This makes it very useful for interactive and modern applications;
• Object-Oriented and Functional: JavaScript supports multiple programming paradigms. It has characteristics of object-oriented languages and also supports functional programming;
• Flexibility: Another important point is that JavaScript is a dynamically typed language, which means that a variable can be changed to contain different types of data throughout its life. This flexibility allows faster development and greater expressiveness in your code.

Get started with JavaScript

To get started with JavaScript, all you really need is a browser and a text editor. Modern browsers come with a tool called “the developer console”, which allows you to run the JavaScript code directly, without needing other tools.

With that in context, we highlight the first steps for beginners in JavaScript: 

1. Learn the syntax: First and foremost, familiarize yourself with JavaScript syntax. This includes learning how to declare variables, how to create functions, how to work with objects and arrays, among other things;
2. Practice: The best way to learn any programming language is to get your hands dirty. Try writing and running your own JavaScript code. Try to create something simple, such as a program that prints a message to the console or performs simple calculations;
3. Explore  learning resources: There are many free online resources for learning JavaScript, including tutorials, blogs, courses, and official documentation. Some recommended sites include MDN Web Docs and freeCodeCamp.
4. Create projects: Once you’re comfortable with the basics, start working on more complex projects. This could include creating an interactive website, building a simple server-side application, or experimenting with a JavaScript library or framework, such as React or Angular.

By using these 4 basic steps, you will feel more and more comfortable to dive into the world of JS and evolve in the use of this amazing technology. Remember that the main point is to practice regularly and steadily. It is in this way that the theory can be solidified and explored in its entirety.

Do you like the content and want to evolve more in your dev career? So, be sure to check out: Tips for Programmers: 10 Essential Practices to Succeed Professionally