Are Java and JavaScript the Same? NO! Java and JavaScript are two completely different languages in both concept and design! Java (developed by Sun Microsystems) is a powerful and much more complex programming language - in the same category as C and C++.
What can a JavaScript Do?
- JavaScript gives HTML designers a programming tool - HTML authors are normally not programmers, but JavaScript is a scripting language with a very simple syntax! Almost anyone can put small "snippets" of code into their HTML pages
- JavaScript can put dynamic text into an HTML page - A JavaScript statement like this: document.write("
" + name + "
") can write a variable text into an HTML page - JavaScript can react to events - A JavaScript can be set to execute when something happens, like when a page has finished loading or when a user clicks on an HTML element
- JavaScript can read and write HTML elements - A JavaScript can read and change the content of an HTML element
- JavaScript can be used to validate data - A JavaScript can be used to validate form data before it is submitted to a server. This saves the server from extra processing
- JavaScript can be used to detect the visitor's browser - A JavaScript can be used to detect the visitor's browser, and - depending on the browser - load another page specifically designed for that browser
- JavaScript can be used to create cookies - A JavaScript can be used to store and retrieve information on the visitor's computer
