JavaScript is the world's most popular programming language. It is used to add interactive effects to web pages. JavaScript code can be inserted into HTML pages between <script> tags. Common JavaScript statements include conditional statements like if/else and loops. Variables are used to store and manipulate data in JavaScript. Common data types include strings, numbers, booleans, arrays, and objects. Functions allow code reuse and organization. Operators are used to assign values, compare values, and perform arithmetic. jQuery is a popular JavaScript library that simplifies DOM manipulation and event handling.