JavaScript is at the heart of almost every modern Web application, whether it's Google Apps, Twitter, or the newest browser-based game. Though it's simple for beginners to pick up and play with, JavaScript is not a toy—it's a flexible, complex language that you can use to build full-scale applications.<br /><br />Eloquent JavaScript, 2nd Edition dives into the language and teaches you to write beautiful, effective code. By immersing you in example code and encouraging experimentation right from the start, the author quickly provides the tools you need to build your own programs. As you follow along with examples like an artificial life simulation, a simple programming language, and a platform game, you'll learn to:<br /><br />Understand the essential elements of programming: syntax, control, and data<br />Organize and clarify your code with object-oriented and functional programming techniques<br />Script the browser and make basic Web applications<br />Harness node.js to build servers and utilities<br />Use the DOM effectively to interact with browsers<br />This new edition is thoroughly revised and modernized, and it’s full of brand-new material, including expanded content on recursion, closures, and more. All source code is available online in an interactive sandbox and has been updated to follow current JavaScript idioms. With Eloquent JavaScript, 2nd Edition as your guide, you'll be fluent in the language of the Web before you know it.