Associate Professor
Building Interactive Web Applications with JavaScript
What You'll Learn
- Change text, colors, and layouts on a webpage using JavaScript code.
- Understand JavaScript callbacks and the event loop.
- Use real-time information from other websites by incorporating APIs.
- Build and move smooth, custom shapes and drawings inside the browser.
4 Modules
48 Hours
12 hrs per module (approx.)
About Building Interactive Web Applications with JavaScript
Static web pages limit your ability to engage your users on a deeper level. In "Building Interactive Web Applications with JavaScript," elevate your engineering skills by learning to build highly responsive, dynamic web applications.
Designed for developers who are comfortable with basic HTML, CSS, and introductory programming, this course emphasizes dynamic user interactions, asynchronous operations, and the architectural patterns that power modern web applications.
Through hands-on exercises and examples, you’ll learn how to write interactive JavaScript code, manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM), handle events, and work with asynchronous data using Promises. You’ll also explore how JavaScript is used to build responsive user interfaces, animations, and custom visualizations using technologies like Canvas and SVG.
By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to build richer, more interactive web experiences and be prepared for more advanced front-end development.
This is the second course in a four-part series, "Practical JavaScript: From Scratch to React," that provides you with hands-on experience in creating seamless front- and back-end applications.
Skills You'll Gain
- Computer Programming
- HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
- Pure JavaScript
- Responsive HTML
- Web Development
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Building Interactive Web Applications with JavaScript! This is the second course in a four-part series focused on JavaScript. This course builds on foundational programming and web development skills to deepen your understanding of JavaScript—the language of interactivity on the web.
Designed for learners who are comfortable with basic HTML, CSS, and introductory programming (such as those who have completed the first course), this course emphasizes dynamic user interactions, asynchronous operations, and the architectural patterns that power modern web applications. Through hands-on exercises and examples, you’ll learn how to write interactive JavaScript code, manipulate the DOM, handle events, and work with asynchronous data using Promises.
You’ll also explore how JavaScript is used to build responsive user interfaces, animations, and custom visualizations using technologies like Canvas and SVG. By the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to build richer, more interactive web experiences and be prepared for more advanced front-end development.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: HTML (HyperText Markup Language) Fundamentals
- In this module, you will learn how to create page content using HTML (HyperText Markup Language). HTML is one of the three languages you will learn for this course and is foundational, as it will define the content of your web pages.
Module 2: CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) Fundamentals
- In this module, you will learn how to control the appearance of your web pages using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets). CSS will allow you to control aspects such as color, font, spacing, layout, and how your page adapts to different screen sizes and user setups.
Module 3: Introduction to Programming with JavaScript
- This module is a first step into programming with JavaScript, the language that underpins the modern web. You will learn the fundamentals of writing code with the JavaScript language. This module does not assume any prior programming experience.
Module 4: JavaScript Fundamentals
- In this module, you will learn how to add limited interactivity to your web pages with JavaScript. This module builds on the syntactic and semantic knowledge introduced in the previous module to explore how JavaScript enables dynamic behavior, user interactions, and functionality.
Grading Policy
Learners must earn 80% overall to pass. There are four module quizzes, each worth 25% of your final grade.
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Intermediate Level
A basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and imperative programming is recommended to complete this course.
