Lesson 6
Strings & template literals
Build a practical mental model for strings & template literals and use it in working JavaScript.
By the end, you will be able to…
- Explain strings & template literals in your own words
- Use strings & template literals in a small program
- Recognize and debug a common failure mode
Build the mental model
Template literals (backticks) let you interpolate expressions directly into strings and span multiple lines, replacing the older pattern of concatenating with +.
Syntax and working example
Read the code from inputs to output. Predict what it prints, then run it and change one value.
Why this matters
Interpolated templates are dramatically easier to read and less error-prone than chains of + concatenation, especially once several values are involved.
Real-world example
Every React component and server-rendered HTML template you'll eventually write leans on this exact syntax.
Common mistakes
- Mixing quote styles and losing track of escaping
- Forgetting the backticks (`) required for interpolation, using regular quotes instead
- Concatenating many + operators instead of one readable template literal
Try it yourself
Challenge
Rewrite the concatenation below as a single template literal.
Knowledge check
What syntax turns a string into a template literal that can interpolate variables?
Summary
Use backtick template literals to interpolate values and build multi-line strings clearly.