Library

Definition

A collection of ready-made code for one kind of job, such as formatting dates or drawing charts, that your project borrows instead of writing it from scratch. Your code calls a library when it needs it, while a framework sets the structure your code fits into.

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.