Learn the world's most widely used programming language - and build AI-powered web applications from day one. JavaScript with AI is the complete beginner-to-practitioner guide for developers who want to master modern JavaScript and immediately apply it to intelligent, real-world web applications. Written for 2026, this book takes you from your very first line of JavaScript all the way to building and deploying AI-powered chatbots, smart content generators, recommendation systems, and real-time dashboards.
JavaScript is the only language that runs natively in every web browser, powers servers via Node.js, and connects seamlessly to the AI APIs reshaping every industry. Author Thomas Scott shows you how to make the most of all of it - step by step, with real projects and no fluff.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- JavaScript fundamentals: variables, data types, functions, scope, and control flow
- Arrays, objects, DOM manipulation, and browser APIs
- Events, user interaction, and modern ES6+ features
- Asynchronous JavaScript: Promises, async/await, and the Fetch API
- Error handling, debugging, modules, and clean code practices
- Object-oriented and functional programming in JavaScript
- Local storage, WebSockets, and real-time applications
- Security best practices for JavaScript applications
- Server-side JavaScript with Node.js and REST API development with Express
- Testing, deployment, and performance optimisation
- Integrating AI APIs and working with OpenAI and LLMs in JavaScript
- Prompt engineering for JavaScript-based AI workflows
- Building AI-powered chatbots, search, and recommendation systems
- Automating workflows and creating intelligent frontend features with AI
- Five complete real-world projects: a task management app, an AI-powered chatbot, a smart content generator, a recommendation system, and a real-time AI dashboard
WHY THIS BOOK:
JavaScript is the most in-demand programming language in the world. It runs on 98% of all websites, powers VS Code, Slack, and countless desktop apps via Electron, and drives mobile applications through React Native. In 2026, it is also the fastest-growing language for AI integration - connecting browsers and servers directly to LLMs, AI search, and intelligent automation. There has never been a better time to learn JavaScript, and this is the book that does it properly.
Includes comprehensive appendices covering JavaScript syntax, DOM manipulation, Fetch API patterns, Node.js and Express, the OpenAI API, common npm commands, a debugging cheat sheet, a full glossary, and recommended learning resources.
Perfect for: complete beginners, career changers, designers who want to code, developers from other languages, and anyone who wants to build modern, AI-powered web applications from scratch.
