Mad Libs is an entertaining game where players take turns adding words to a story. Participants typically provide nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs to create a funny sentence. Traditionally, the story is printed on paper but Mad Libs can also be created with coding. In this blog, we’ll describe how to make a Mad Libs game in JavaScript.

Creating the Story

The first step in the process is to create a Mad Lib story. The story should include five key elements: a noun, verb, adjective, adverb and an exclamation. Keeping these elements in mind, let’s create the story:

The quick brown fox jumped high happily Wow!

HTML

Next, we need to create the HTML file which will act as our interface. The HTML should contain two input elements and a button.

<input type="text" name="Noun" placeholder="Enter a Noun"/>
<input type="text" name="Verb" placeholder="Enter a Verb"/>
<input type="text" name="Adjective" placeholder="Enter an Adjective"/>
<input type="text" name="Adverb" placeholder="Enter an Adverb"/>
<input type="text" name="Exclamation" placeholder="Enter an Exclamation"/>
<button id="btn">Submit</button>

JavaScript

Once the HTML is in place, we can write the JavaScript code. This code will involve:

• Getting the two inputs from the HTML document
• Instantiating variables for the given inputs
• Appending the input words to the original story

let noun = document.querySelector("[name=Noun]").value;
let verb = document.querySelector("[name=Verb]").value;
let adjective = document.querySelector("[name=Adjective]").value;
let adverb = document.querySelector("[name=Adverb]").value;
let exclamation = document.querySelector("[name=Exclamation]").value;

let outputStory = "The quick brown " + noun + " " + verb + " " + adjective + " " + adverb + " " + exclamation + "!"

document.querySelector("#btn").addEventListener('click',function(){
    alert(outputStory);
});

Testing

Once the HTML document and JavaScript code are complete, the Mad Lib game can be tested. After entering  all the words, the Submit button should be clicked. This should trigger a message box that contains the finished Mad Lib story.

Conclusion

In summary, JavaScript Mad Libs can be created by writing an HTML document and a JavaScript file. Different words can be added to a story by using input elements and JavaScript variables. Once the code is written, the story can be tested to validate it works correctly.

FAQ

How long does it take to create a Mad Libs game in JavaScript?

It takes around 1-2 hours to create the HTML document and the JavaScript code.

Is JavaScript the only language that can be used to create Mad Libs?

No, other languages like Python, Java and Swift can also be used to create Mad Libs.

Is there a way to add additional words to the story?

Yes, simply add an extra input element with the corresponding variable and string interpolation to the HTML and Javascript code.

Can the Mad Lib game be shared online?

Yes, the finished game can be embedded into a website or shared on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook.

What if the Mad Lib doesn't work?

If the Mad Lib doesn't work, you'll need to check the HTML and JavaScript code for any typos or errors. If you need help debugging the code, you can consult a coding forum or online resources.