Javascript Tags 101: A Simple (Yes, Simple) Guide

April 9, 2022

The aesthetics of the web development sector are as important for its value as for any other product or service. To make your website more appealing, developers use Javascript tags.

By using Javascript, you can modify the user interface of a webpage and upgrade the HTML and CSS of a website. If you have little to no idea how to use Javascript tags, we’ll explore everything from a beginner’s level.

What are Javascript Tags?

Every programming language incorporates numerous tags. Javascript tags are used to mold the behavior of a webpage. Before we go into detail, let’s learn more about the Javascript programming language.

Javascript

Javascript is widely known as one of the languages every web developer must learn. The other two are HTML and CSS. You can understand the why behind Javascript if you realize why we use HTML and CSS.

HTML and CSS are put in motion for basic structuring and adding elements to a web page, respectively. But to make a website interactive, responsive, and aesthetic, we use Javascript and its tags.

Javascript is also known as a scripting language. It does not include any input/output command, so it is developed to execute on a host environment, which is generally a web browser.

Now that you know more about the language itself, it’s time to look at the Javascript tags.

The <script> Tag

While you code using HTML, what do you do if you want to add Javascript to your code? To incorporate Javascript during website coding, a <script> tag is used in either <head> or <body> section of HTML. This tag enables you to code in Javascript.

You can still code using Javascript without the <script> tag, but the code will not be readable by the browser compiler. Therefore, it’s necessary to use the <script> tag in either <head> or <body>.

Primarily, there are only two Javascript tags; <script> and </script>. The <script> tag opens the door to start coding in Javascript. Once you finish inculcating Javascript in your web project, you get to close the Javascript code by using the </script> tag.

How to Use <script> Tag in HTML <head>

Have a look at the following example:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<head>

<script>

function NewFunction() {

document.getElementById(“demo”).innerHTML = “Function successfully called.”;

}

</script>

</head>

<body>

<h2>Javascript Tags 101: A Simple (Yes, Simple) Guide</h2>

<p id=”demo”>Click the Button</p>

<button type=”button” onclick=”NewFunction()”>Try Here</button>

</body>

</html>

Output

We defined a Javascript function named “NewFunction” in the <head> section of HTML. The function will be called when you click the button “Try Here.”

Just after the HTML <head> section, you can see there’s a <script> tag. After the tag, the code is written in Javascript. The Javascript code ends with a </script> tag.

How to Use <script> Tag in HTML <body>

Have a look at another example of the Javascript tags.

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>

<body>

<h2>Javascript Tags 101: A Simple (Yes, Simple) Guide</h2>

<p id=”demo”>Click on the button</p>

<button type=”button” onclick=”NewFunction()”>Try Here</button>

<script>

function NewFunction() {

document.getElementById(“demo”).innerHTML = “Function successfully called.”;

}

</script>

</body>

</html>

Output

When you run the above code, you will see a button “Try Here.” Clicking that button will invoke the function “NewFunction” written between the Javascript tags inside the HTML <body> tag.

The Javascript tags also come with attributes. The following two are mostly used:

Integrity

Syntax: <script integrity=”file’s hash value”>

The integrity attribute allows the browser to enable the script to check the status of the code. It keeps the integrity of the code intact from manipulation.

Src

Syntax: <script src=”uri\path to resource”>

The attribute defines the URI/path of a script file coming from an external source.

Benefits Of Javascript Tags

First and foremost, you can define functions using Javascript tags in your web development project. This feature is unavailable in HTML and CSS, and it’s the biggest plus you can have coding in Javascript.

A function in Javascript commands your program to do a specific task repeatedly. Through a particular function, your code remains highly optimized. There’s no recurrence of the same piece of code. Thus, through Javascript, your website’s overall code will become efficient.

As Javascript runs on a client-side server, it also boosts the speed of your web pages. From the perspective of the user interface, you can do the following enhancements in your web project using Javascript tags:

Interoperability

Javascript tags enable you to communicate between other languages and web frameworks. It means that you can easily incorporate Javascript code in PHP and Perl-based websites.

Fast Execution

As Javascript runs on the client-side server, your website can send and receive requests faster than other web development languages.

Interface Modification

Developers can use Javascript to create appealing websites using a variety of interfaces. Websites with drag-and-drop components or sliders may have a richer interface. They can improve the user’s activity and experience on the webpage.

Independency

Javascript tags are independent of the platform. As a majority of the web browsers are Javascript compatible, you don’t need to install any extensions. This independence makes editing of Javascript code doable from any web platform.

On-Request Triggering

It doesn’t matter how much you code using Javascript tags. Each Javascript segment will trigger the user’s request. For example, if a Javascript function is available in your code and the user doesn’t call it, that function will remain inactive until the user requests it.

Last but not least, Javascript tags have become significant in today’s technological era. Almost every industry that has shifted to or intends to shift on an online platform will need a web-based existence. Consequently, many online businesses will turn to Javascript for help.

Conclusion

The Javascript tags are present in almost every website you visit or develop today. They have become a set of fundamental components for developing functional and interactive web pages. These tags will speed up your website’s responsiveness and make the web interface more appealing to the user. As we live in the digital era that counts every online presence, you may want to consider mastering Javascript.