JavaScript Tutorial for Programmers - Conclusion

Like an essay in English, a JavaScript program is a series of statements which work together towards a particular goal, and are made up of component grammatical elements, such as expressions and operators. Because JavaScript is a programming language invented "for the Web," it is oriented towards the specific needs of Web developers. The set of pre-built objects largely reflect characteristics of the Web page, allowing your JavaScript program to manipulate, modify, and react to the Web page.

Interactivity is the driving force behind JavaScript, and so most JavaScript programs are launched by actions which occur on the Web page, often by the user. In doing so, JavaScript's purpose is to nudge Web pages away from static displays of data towards applications which can process and react.

Further Reading

There's no shortage of printed materials on the subject of JavaScript. On-line, as well, tutorials, guides, and help sites abound. None of these will be difficult to find -- the bookstore and/or Yahoo will take you down the right paths in minutes.

The best place to start, though, or to supplement any additional reading of JavaScript is the developer documentation itself. Both Netscape and Microsoft have published on-line, easily navigable, moderately accessible reference guides to their own implementations of JavaScript and the related DOM. You should always read with these guides by your side.

• Netscape's JavaScript Guide
• Netscape's JavaScript Documentation Library
• Microsoft's JScript Language Reference
• Microsoft's JScript Documentation Library
• Microsoft's DOM Reference (aka "DHTML")

JavaScript Tutorial for Programmers - Event Handlers
JavaScript Tutorial for Programmers