Well, not exactly.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a cross-platform, object-oriented scripting language used to make interactive webpages that includes complex animations, clickable buttons, popup menus. There are also more advanced server-side versions of JavaScript such as Node.js, which allow you to add more functionality to a website.
JavaScript was invented by Brendan Eich in 1995 and became an ECMA standard in 1997. ECMA-262 is the official name of the standard. ECMAScript is the official name of the language.
JavaScript contains a standard library of objects, such as Array, Date, and Math, and a core set of language elements such as operators, control structures, and statements. Core JavaScript can be extended for a variety of purposes by supplementing it with additional objects, for example:
Client-side JavaScript extends the core language by supplying objects to control a browser and its Document Object Model (DOM). For example, client-side extensions allow an application to place elements on an HTML form and respond to user events such as mouse clicks, form input, and page navigation.
Server-side JavaScript extends the core language by supplying objects relevant to running JavaScript on a server. For example, server-side extensions allow an application to communicate with a database, provide continuity of information from one invocation to another of the application, or perform file manipulations on a server.
JavaScript and Java:
JavaScript and Java are fundamentally different in some aspects. The JavaScript language resembles Java but does not have Java's static typing and strong type checking. JavaScript follows most Java expression syntax, naming conventions and basic control-flow constructs.
JavaScript is a very free-form language compared to Java. You do not have to declare all variables, classes, and methods. You do not have to be concerned with whether methods are public, private, or protected, and you do not have to implement interfaces. Variables, parameters, and function return types are not explicitly typed.
In Java, Objects are divided into classes and instances with all inheritance through the class hierarchy. Classes and instances cannot have properties or methods added dynamically. In JavaScript, No distinction between types of objects. Inheritance is through the prototype mechanism, and properties and methods can be added to any object dynamically.
Why is JavaScript so important?
Let’s see why JavaScript is so crucial in today’s development community—and why you should probably sharpen your JS knowledge.
- Modern JavaScript works on both browsers AND servers. For developers, JS is easy to learn and fast to get into active development. Its syntax is easy and flexible for newcomers.
- JS developers can use Node.js to write both client-side and server-side code in JavaScript, without relying on external web servers. js was the first legitimate attempt to bring JavaScript to the server-side.
- We can use JavaScript to connect to mobile APIs. This means that you can use mobile devices features, such as the camera or location to build JS-powered apps.
- JavaScript is present on Front end (Browsers), Back end (Node), Desktop, Android/iOS (React Native, NativeScript etc.), Hybrid (Ionic)
- JavaScript is insanely popular. You’ll definitely find the solution to any problem within the community.
- Test automation frameworks implemented using JavaScript, NodeJS are more robust, scalable and easy to maintain.
Why learn JavaScript?
Many languages came and disappear but JavaScript is one of those few renowned languages that is enjoying a high run and demand in the programming world. JavaScript is the most popular language among developers for the eighth year in a row. JavaScript is essential to front-end web development. A majority of the web’s most popular sites, from Facebook and Twitter to Gmail and YouTube, rely on JavaScript to create interactive web pages and dynamically display content to users.
Although JavaScript is primarily a front-end language run on the browser, it can also be used on the server-side through Node.js to build scalable network applications. Node.js is compatible with Linux, SunOS, Mac OS X, and Windows.
Because JavaScript has a forgiving, flexible syntax and works across all major browsers, it is one of the friendliest programming languages for beginners.
There are millions of websites on the web which are heavily rely on JavaScript and in addition to that, looking at the demand & dominance of the language, it won’t be wrong to say that JavaScript will rule in 2021 as well!
Keep LEARNING. Keep CODING.
Top comments (5)
Have you just copied a 20 year old article and posted it on dev.to?
This is so dump
Nice article, just points to be added
Node.js is not a version of JS. rather a tool that allows to use JS at server side.
(it's built on Google Chrome's JavaScript V8 Engine)
And JS and Java are completely different, people get confused when they see there's some similarity. (Java is compiled-interpreted, JS is simply interpreted, and lot of difference in how we use it). As they say, JAVA IS TO JAVASCRIPT AS HAM IS TO HAMSTER.
Why is JavaScript so important? -> the second point, it feels node.js is alternative to web servers, rather it's JS that run on node.js to start a web server and serve bundled client compatible js+html+css code to frontend
Why is JavaScript so important? -> the third point, JS can be used to create cross platform mobile apps. that use native mobile capabilities. ionic, phonegap, react-native are good examples.... (react-native in fact interprets JS to native platform specific language)
About test automation,JS frameworks selenium, cypress for ui and mocha, chai, sinon, jest for unit testing.
Also, one of the key feature that makes js different from other languages is single threaded event loop. It should be mentioned somewhere, because it makes developers job so easy and we don't need to deal with deadlock scenarios like languages that support concurrency ( it makes debugging soo easy !)
Also, external links to other posts can be added, in case people want to know more about the JS.
Other than this, article gives good insight into what JS actually is !!
Good title, though 😭
Oh, it must be so cool to use SunOS in 2021 😂
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