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JavaScript: Tutorial - A Guide to JavaScript - Page 02

Script Placement - Language Basics (Syntax, Classes).

Script Placement

It used to be that all <script> elements were placed within the <head> element on a document:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
	<title>Example HTML Document</title>
	<script type="text/javascript" src="script1.js"></script>
	<script type="text/javascript" src="script2.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<!-- content goes here -->
</body>
</html>

This means that all of the JavaScript code must be downloaded, parsed, and interpreted before the page begins rendering on the browser. This can result in a delay if there is a large amount to download and parse. Because of this, the modern technique is to place the scripts inside the <body> element after the document's content.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
	<title>Example HTML Document</title>
</head>
<body>
	<!-- content goes here -->
	<script type="text/javascript" src="script1.js"></script>
	<script type="text/javascript" src="script2.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Language Basics

Syntax

JavaScript is a case-sensitive language with a C-like syntax.

An identifier is the name of a variable, function, property, or function argument. Identifiers may be formatted with the first character being a letter, an underscore (_), or a dollar sign ($). All other characters may be numbers, letters, underscores or dollar signs.

Comments come in two varieties: single-line and block. A single line comment looks like this:

// comment

A block comment looks like this:

/*
	this is
	a block
	comment
*/

Statements should be terminated by a semicolon. Even though it is not required, it is recommended. Some example statements:

var sum = 90 + 157;
var square = 9 * 9;

Multiple statements can be combined into a block of code using curly braces:

{
	var sum = 90 + 157;
	var square = 9 * 9;
}

Control statements, like if, require code blocks when executing multiple statements.

if(true)
	bVariable = false;
if(true) {
	bVariale = false;
	iVariable = 123;
}

Keywords may not be used as identifiers. These are:

	break
	do
	instanceof
	typeof
	case
	else
	new
	var
	catch
	finally
	return
	void
	continue
	for
	switch
	while
	debugger
	function
	this
	with
	default
	if
	throw
	delete
	in
	try

Reserved words are set aside for future use and may not be used.

	abstract
	enum
	int
	short
	boolean
	export
	interface
	static
	byte
	extends
	long
	super
	char
	final
	native
	synchronized
	class
	float
	package
	throws
	const
	goto
	private
	transient
	debugger
	implements
	protected
	volatile
	double
	import
	public

Classes

JavaScript supports classes. Learn about JavaScript classes.

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