JavaScript is a scripting language that can be inserted into HTML pages and used to program the behavior of web pages. It allows web pages to be dynamic and interactive. JavaScript code is placed between <script> and </script> tags and can manipulate HTML elements and write to the document. Variables, functions, conditional statements, and operators allow JavaScript code to run conditionally based on events or user input. JavaScript is case sensitive, uses semicolons, and has both local and global variables. Common data types include numbers, strings, arrays, and objects.