JavaScript

My first impression of JavaScript was, and I quote, "What the..." as my mouth hung open for a minute or so.

JavaScript is still confusing to me. I'll think I've got it down, but something else will pop-up and make me scratch my head. I know I'm going to have to learn this stuff if I want to work with Web and it is the first real time I'm looking at this stuff. I'm just hoping that I'll catch on to the JavaScript know-how.

JavaScript and Java can be easily confused. If you're unaware to the concept of either, I can see why. You might think someone is just shortening JavaScript if they say "Java", but it can mean a whole world of difference if you've got the knowledge. Java is a much larger and more complicated language that creates "standalone" applications. JavaScript only works in an HTML document and is read and enacted by a web browser. A scripting language is a programming language interpreted by another program and is usually typed on a keyboard.

JavaScript was originally named "Mocha" and developed by Brendan Eich of Netscape. It was later changed to LiveScript and then finally to JavaScript. The reason for the name "JavaScript" could have been because of the added Java support for Netscape's web browser, Navigator. Now that more browsers have support for JavaScript, it is becoming more popular and accepted.