Lesson 2 JavaScript isn’t Java

Don’t be confused by the name. JavaScript has absolutely nothing to do
with Java — the coffee or the programming language. JavaScript’s name
came about because marketing folks wanted to latch onto the “cool” factor
back when the Java programming language was shiny and new.
Java is a heavy language that doesn’t necessarily run on everyone’s computer;
people have to install extra software to get it to run. Although powerful,
Java is not meant for the types of web programming that you usually need
to do. JavaScript, on the other hand, is included with just about every web
browser and doesn’t need anything else installed. You use JavaScript to
make the pages come alive, with auto-populating form fields, and all kinds of
bells and whistles that enhance the user experience.One of the most common things that we hear from nontechnical folks is
confusing or calling JavaScript, “Java.” Now that you know that the two are
completely different, you won’t do the same! You will, however, need to
resist the urge to correct people when you hear them confuse the two
languages.
JavaScript is defined by the specification known as ECMA-262. Web browsers
have varying degrees of support for the ECMA-262 specification, so the exact
version of JavaScript that’s available