Why am I receiving the "Uncaught ReferenceError: $ is not defined" message in the console when I didn't include my own version of jQuery?

When encountering the "Uncaught ReferenceError: $ is not defined" message in the console, it typically means that the jQuery library is not being loaded properly on your website. This error usually occurs when you try to use jQuery syntax without including the library itself in your HTML file. Here are a few possible reasons why you might be receiving this message:

1. Missing jQuery CDN or Script Tag: One possibility is that you forgot to include the jQuery library by referencing the CDN or including the script tag in your HTML file. To resolve this issue, you need to add the appropriate script tag to your HTML file. For example, you can use the following code snippet to include jQuery from a CDN:

   ```html

   ```

2. Loading Order: Another reason for this error could be the incorrect order in which your scripts are loaded. Make sure the jQuery library is loaded before any other JavaScript code that depends on it. If a script that relies on jQuery is loaded before the library itself, you will encounter the "$ is not defined" error. To fix this issue, ensure that jQuery is loaded before any other JavaScript code that depends on it.

3. Conflict with other JavaScript Libraries: If you are using other JavaScript libraries that also use the "$" sign as a shortcut (such as Prototype or MooTools), there may be conflicts. Such conflicts can occur because different libraries may have different ways of handling the "$" sign. In this case, you can use the jQuery keyword instead of the dollar sign to avoid conflicts. For example, replace $(selector) with jQuery(selector) in your code.

To summarize, the "Uncaught ReferenceError: $ is not defined" error occurs when the jQuery library is not properly loaded. Make sure to include the jQuery library in your HTML file, ensure the correct order of script loading, and address any conflicts with other JavaScript libraries to resolve this issue.

Additional Questions:

1. How can I check if jQuery is properly loaded on my website?
2. What can I do if my website has conflicting JavaScript libraries causing the "$ is not defined" error?
3. Are there any alternative libraries or frameworks that I can use instead of jQuery to avoid this issue?