What is the difference between JavaScript and Java?

What is the difference between JavaScript and Java?

Although the names are almost the same Java is not the same as JavaScript! These are two different techniques for Internet programming. Java is a programming language. JavaScript is a scripting language (as the name implies). The difference is that you can create real programs with Java. But often you just want to make a nice effect without having to bother about real programming. So JavaScript is meant to be easy to understand and easy to use. JavaScript authors should not have to care too much about programming.

You could say that JavaSript is rather an extension to HTML than a separate computer language. Of course this is not the 'official' definition but I think this makes it easier to understand the difference between Java and JavaScript. You can find further information about both Java and JavaScript at http://www.gamelan.com.