JavaScript — Prerequisites

What You Need Before Starting

1. Required

•Nothing prior in programming. JavaScript is a reasonable first language — this course does not assume you've written code before.

•A web browser. Chrome, Firefox, or Edge — any modern browser has a built-in console you can write JavaScript directly into, with zero install.

•Basic comfort typing commands or following step-by-step instructions. If you can install an app or follow a recipe, you have enough comfort with sequential instructions to start.

2. Recommended (helps, not required)

•Basic HTML — knowing what a

•Basic CSS — not needed to write JavaScript logic, but useful for understanding why a script might toggle a CSS class instead of manually setting inline styles (a very common real pattern).

•Basic command-line comfort (cd, running a command) — only needed once you get to the Installation tab and start running JavaScript with Node.js outside the browser. Not needed for the browser-console exercises in Overview or Fundamentals.

3. Not Needed

•Any prior programming language.

•Any framework knowledge (React, Vue, Angular) — those are built on top of JavaScript and are out of scope for this technology; learn plain ("vanilla") JavaScript first.

•Node.js, npm, or any build tooling — covered from scratch in Installation.

•Any math beyond basic arithmetic and comparison operators.

Quick Self-Check

Before moving to Fundamentals, ask yourself: if a recipe said "first crack two eggs into a bowl, then whisk until combined," would you understand that step two depends on step one being done first? If yes, you already have the core mental model JavaScript's sequential, top-to-bottom execution relies on — you're ready to start.

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