Use a JavaScript Array as a Stack

A stack follows LIFO (last in, first out). With arrays, push adds to the top and pop removes from the top.
Use peek to read the top item and isEmpty to check if the stack has elements.

// Array as Stack (LIFO)
const stack = []; // Push: O(1)
function push(x) { stack.push(x);
} // Pop: O(1)
function pop() { return stack.pop();
} // Peek: O(1)
function peek() { return stack[stack.length - 1];
} // isEmpty: O(1)
function isEmpty() { return stack.length === 0;
} // Demo
push(10);
push(20);
push(30);
console.log('Top:', peek()); // 30
console.log('Popping:', pop()); // 30
console.log('Top after pop:', peek()); // 20 // Empty the stack
while (!isEmpty()) { console.log('Popping:', pop());
}
console.log('Empty?', isEmpty()); // true
 

Why this matters: Stacks are used in undo systems, depth-first search (DFS), backtracking, and expression evaluation.

What is motivation? Motivation is the spark that makes coding feel exciting. It is the podcast that inspires you, the cool website you want to recreate, or the quick win that boosts your energy. Motivation is powerful, but it can fade when problems get tricky.

What is discipline? Discipline is a repeatable routine that does not depend on mood. It is opening your editor at a set time, following a checklist, and shipping tiny updates. Discipline feels quieter than motivation, but it is the engine that delivers results.

When motivation helps most: Starting new topics, brainstorming project ideas, choosing a stack, and exploring tutorials. Use motivation to pick a clear small goal like build a simple landing page with HTML and CSS.

When discipline matters most: Debugging, refactoring, writing docs, and practicing fundamentals. Use discipline to follow a tiny daily plan even when progress feels slow.

Seven day mini challenge example:

• Day 1 – Setup your editor and create index.html, style.css, and scripts.js.
• Day 2 – Rebuild a simple header and navigation.
• Day 3 – Add a hero section with a button that scrolls to features.
• Day 4 – Create a responsive grid of three feature cards.
• Day 5 – Add a contact form with basic HTML validation.
• Day 6 – Tidy styles, comments, and file structure.
• Day 7 – Publish to a free host and write a short reflection log.

Micro habits that compound: Open your editor at the same time each day. Commit at least once daily with a clear message. Write one sentence of notes after each session. Review yesterday before you continue today.

Make motivation easier to find: Keep a short inspiration list links to two or three websites you admire and one small feature you want to copy. Celebrate tiny wins by adding a “Wins” section to your readme.

Make discipline easier to keep: Reduce friction. Save a template project with starter files. Use a timer for a 25-minute focus block. Keep your next step visible as the first line in your readme.

Common beginner pitfalls: Hunting perfect tutorials instead of building, switching stacks too often, and setting goals that are too big. Convert big goals into one-page features you can finish in a day.

Quick checklist for today: Choose one page to build. Set a 25-minute timer. Code only that page. Commit your work. Write one sentence about what you learned.

What Is Coding?

Coding is the process of writing a set of instructions that tells a computer what to do. These instructions are written using programming languages such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, or Python. Each language has its own purpose for example, HTML structures a webpage, CSS styles it, and JavaScript adds interactivity.

Think of coding like teaching a robot step-by-step how to complete a task. When you write code, you’re communicating with a machine in a language it can understand. Whether it’s displaying a simple message on the screen or building an entire website, code is what makes it happen.

Why Is Coding Important?

In today’s digital world, coding powers almost everything around us from mobile apps and social media to cars and smart devices. It’s the foundation of technology. When you understand how coding works, you can do more than just use technology you can create it, shape it, and even improve it.

Learning to code gives you the ability to automate repetitive tasks, build your own tools, and make sense of the technology-driven world. Whether you’re designing a portfolio website, creating a game, or analyzing data, coding opens doors to endless opportunities.

Benefits of Learning to Code

• Boost Your Creativity: Coding lets you turn ideas into real, working projects from interactive websites to fun mobile apps. It’s a creative outlet for problem solvers.
• Enhance Problem-Solving Skills: Coding teaches you how to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable steps. This mindset is valuable in any career.
• Open Career Opportunities: The demand for developers, web designers, and software engineers continues to grow worldwide. Coding skills are highly sought-after across industries.
• Empower Yourself: Knowing how to code gives you control over your digital environment. You can fix issues, automate workflows, and understand how the tools you use actually work.
• Collaborate Better: Even if you’re not a full-time programmer, basic coding knowledge helps you communicate effectively with technical teams and understand their challenges.

How to Get Started

Getting started with coding doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Begin with small, achievable goals. Start with HTML and CSS to learn how websites are built and styled. Once comfortable, move on to JavaScript to make your pages interactive like adding buttons, animations, or form validation.

You can find countless beginner-friendly resources online from interactive tutorials like freeCodeCamp and Codecademy to YouTube channels that teach coding step-by-step. The key is consistency: practice regularly and build small projects to reinforce what you learn.

Start by creating simple programs like printing “Hello, World!” or making a basic webpage about yourself. As you gain confidence, explore frameworks and libraries like React or Bootstrap to speed up your development process.

Real-World Applications of Coding

Coding isn’t just for software engineers. Here are some everyday uses of coding skills:

• Building and customizing websites for personal or business use.
• Creating mobile apps and games.
• Automating repetitive office tasks with scripts.
• Analyzing data to make smarter business decisions.
• Designing digital art or interactive portfolios.

Conclusion

Learning to code is one of the most valuable skills in the modern world. It teaches creativity, patience, and critical thinking and gives you the power to bring your ideas to life. You don’t need to be a tech genius to start; you just need curiosity and persistence.

So, start coding today one line at a time. Your future self will thank you!

Learn how to print your own name on the screen using JavaScript. This is one of the first and most fun steps in learning to code!

console.log("Your Name"); 

Challenge

Write a JavaScript statement that prints Hello, World! to the console.

Assume you are running the code in a modern web browser console. Choose the single best option.

Multiple Choice

1. console.log("Hello, World!");
2. alert("Hello, World!");
3. document.getElementById("app").innerText = "Hello, World!";
4. print("Hello, World!")