Term: javascript

Javascript (not to be confused with Java) is a computer programming language most commonly used to add dynamic functionality to web pages.

Web pages are written first in HTML, which is considered a mostly “static” descriptive language, meaning that HTML is most often used to describe the layout and other characteristics of how a web page should appear. Javascript (and dynamic HTML) adds the ability to define the behavior of a web page – things that the web page itself can actually do all by itself, without needing to communicate back to the web server (although it can if desired).

Javascript is considered a “scripting” language. While the term is somewhat vague, it generally means that Javascript is a programming language used to augment some other environment, such as the display of HTML-based web pages in your web browser.

Most common browsers come with the ability to run Javascript.

Examples of Javascript include most current web-based email clients, which allow you to browse and edit email without needing to reload the web page for every step of the process.