Syntax in programming refers to the rules that define the structure and format of statements in a programming language. It specifies how symbols, keywords, and other elements of the language can be combined to create valid instructions or expressions that the computer can understand and execute.
Syntax determines whether code is correctly written and can be interpreted by the compiler or interpreter. Each programming language has its own syntax rules, which define how statements should be written to perform specific tasks.
Example: In JavaScript, the syntax for declaring a variable is:
var x = 5;
This statement follows the syntax rules of JavaScript, which require the use of the keyword var, a variable name (x), an assignment operator (=), and a value (5), all terminated by a semicolon (;).