1.1 JavaScript Foundation

Rashmin's photo
Rashmin
·

2 min read

Greetings! Let's explore why JavaScript is a powerhouse for web development and get our hands dirty with some foundational coding!

Why JavaScript?

1. Interpreted Nature: JavaScript is an interpreted language. Unlike compiled languages that need a separate compilation step, JavaScript runs directly in the browser. This not only simplifies the development process but also aids in easy debugging.

2. Dynamic and Flexible: JavaScript is dynamically typed, which means you don't need to specify the data type of a variable. This flexibility allows for faster development and is particularly advantageous in smaller codebases. Unlike statically typed languages like C++, JavaScript adapts on the fly, making it a versatile choice.

(C++ is better tho, xD)

3. Single-Threaded Nature: While some consider JavaScript's single-threaded nature a limitation for scalable systems, this design choice ensures a smooth user experience, preventing the browser from freezing during execution. (No wait, I personally don't like single threaded Nature)

Now, let's put our newfound knowledge to the test!

Your First JavaScript Code

  1. Open Repl.it and create a new REPL with the Node.js template.

  2. In the index.js file, write the classic "Hello, World!" program:

     console.log("Hello World");

  3. Click on "Run" or navigate to the shell and type node index.js to see the output.

JavaScript Fundamentals

Simple Primitives:

Variables (let, var, const): Variables are containers for storing data values. let and const are block-scoped, while var is function-scoped.

let fn = "Rashmin";
let age = 19;

Conditional Statements (if-else): Conditional statements allow us to make decisions in our code.

if (age >= 18) {
  console.log("Hello, adult!");
} else {
  console.log("Hey, you're still a minor!");
}

Complex Primitives:

Arrays and Objects: Arrays and objects allow us to organize and store data more efficiently.

const ages = [3, 10, 18, 13, 4, 11, 16];
for (let i = 0; i < ages.length; i++) {
  if (ages[i] % 2 === 0) {
    console.log(ages[i] + " ");
  }
}

NOTE:

We suggest learning JavaScript from YouTube tutorials or documentations. It would be easy if you already know a programming language like C/C++/Java.

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript

Functions and Callbacks:

Defining Functions: Functions are blocks of code designed to perform a particular task.

function greet(name) {
  console.log("Hello, " + name + "!");
}

greet("Rashmin");

Callback Functions: Callback functions are functions passed as arguments to other functions.

function processArray(arr, callback) {
  for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
    callback(arr[i]);
  }
}

processArray(ages, function (element) {
  console.log("Processing element: " + element);
});

Explore and learn!

1.2 Basic JS APIs rashmin.hashnode.dev/dev-1-2

Home article https://rashmin.hashnode.dev/dev