JavaScript
beginnerDefinition
The programming language built into every web browser, and also widely used to run websites behind the scenes.
In the wild
When you click "Add to cart" and the cart count goes up without the page reloading, JavaScript did that.
More from Programming Basics
Array
An ordered list of items kept together under one name, where each item has a numbered position that usually starts at 0.
async / await
Two JavaScript words that let code wait for a slow step, like loading orders from the internet, before moving on, without freezing the rest of the app. `async` marks a function that will wait, and `await` marks the exact step to wait for (usually a promise, a placeholder for a result that isn't ready yet).
Boolean
A value that can only be true or false, used for yes-or-no questions such as "has this order been paid?"
Callback
A function you hand to another piece of code so it can run it later, when something happens, such as a click, a timer ending, or data arriving.
Data Type
The kind of value a piece of data is, such as text, a number, true or false, or a list, which decides what you can do with it.
Dependency (Package)
A piece of code written by someone else that your project installs and relies on instead of building that part itself.