Programming is giving a computer instructions written in a language it can understand, in order to solve a problem. We don't necessarily need computers to solve problems, but we use them because they provide several benefits:

As a software developer (synonym to 'programmer'), you will write these instructions in order to create 'software'. Look at the following video to get a better idea of what software is:

There are various languages, each made to fulfill a certain need. For example, Microsoft developed a language called [C#](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paJUbVeKEOU) in order to make applications for Windows computers. Read the following article to learn more about different languages and their uses:

You might have heard these terms used interchangeably. They are, however, two different things. A web developer writes code and handles the logical, technical side. A web designer decides how things are going to look and handle the creative side. The following video will explain this more clearly:

A variable is a piece of information that is saved for later use. You give it a name that describes what its contents are, and to also refer to it at a later point.

The variable is a central concept within programming. It's applied the same way across almost all programming languages. In JavaScript we apply it by using a `keyword`, a word that is reserved by the language because it has a special meaning. Read more about this in the following article:

A variable always contains a `value`: a piece of information that you want to refer to at a later stage. Read more about this here:

When creating variables, it's important to think about the right name to give it. It should always reflect what "type" of data it contains and how it would make sense in light of the rest of your code. You (and other developers that will read your code) should be able to read a variable name and know what its purpose is.