🚨 Stop Believing These JavaScript Myths Right Now! 🚨
If you've been coding in JavaScript for a while, chances are you've heard some "facts" that just aren’t true.
Some of these myths refuse to die, and believing them might be holding you back!
Let’s debunk them and set the record straight.
1️⃣ JavaScript is Only for Frontend Development
This was true years ago, but not anymore. With Node.js, JavaScript can be used for backend development, server-side scripting, databases, and even machine learning.
🔥 Try this:
Explore Node.js: https://nodejs.org/
Build APIs using Express.js: https://expressjs.com/
Learn about JavaScript in Machine Learning: https://brain.js.org/
2️⃣ JavaScript is Slow
JavaScript used to be slow, but modern engines like V8 (Chrome, Node.js) and SpiderMonkey (Firefox) have made it incredibly fast.
💡 Pro Tip: Optimize your JavaScript performance by:
✅ Avoiding unnecessary DOM manipulations
✅ Using async/await for non-blocking operations
✅ Leveraging Web Workers for parallel processing
Read More:
How JavaScript Engines Work: https://v8.dev/blog
3️⃣ You Need jQuery to Manipulate the DOM
Once upon a time, jQuery made DOM manipulation easier.
But today, vanilla JavaScript can do everything jQuery can, often faster and without extra dependencies!
Here’s an example:
// jQuery Way (Old School)
$('#myElement').text('Hello World');
// Modern JavaScript Way
document.getElementById('myElement').textContent = 'Hello World';
🔥 Want more? Check out this guide: https://youmightnotneedjquery.com/
4️⃣ JavaScript is Untyped and Unsafe
JavaScript is dynamically typed, but that doesn't mean it's unsafe. TypeScript solves this issue by adding static typing on top of JavaScript.
✨ Benefits of TypeScript:
✅ Fewer runtime errors
✅ Better code maintainability
✅ Improved developer experience
📌 Get started with TypeScript here: https://www.typescriptlang.org/
5️⃣ Variables Declared with var and let Work the Same Way
If you're still using var, it's time to switch to let and const!
// Using var (Avoid this!)
var x = 10;
if (true) {
var x = 20; // Re-declares x
}
console.log(x); // 20
// Using let (Better!)
let y = 10;
if (true) {
let y = 20; // Block-scoped
}
console.log(y); // 10
💡 Why use let and const instead of var?
✅ let is block-scoped (safer)
✅ const prevents reassignment (more secure)
✅ Avoids unexpected bugs due to variable hoisting
Learn more about JavaScript scope: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/let
6️⃣ Everything in JavaScript is an Object
Not really! JavaScript has primitives (string, number, boolean, null, undefined, symbol, and bigint) that are NOT objects.
Try this:
console.log(typeof "Hello"); // string
console.log(typeof 42); // number
console.log(typeof {}); // object
console.log(typeof null); // object (Weird quirk in JS!)
Deep dive into JS types: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Data_structures
7️⃣ JavaScript is Not Secure for Web Development
JavaScript can be secure if used correctly. The main vulnerabilities come from poor coding practices, not JavaScript itself.
🔐 Best security practices:
✅ Sanitize user input to prevent XSS attacks
✅ Use HTTPS and secure cookies
✅ Avoid eval() (it’s dangerous!)
Learn more about JavaScript security: https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/xss/
Are You Still Believing Any of These Myths? 🤔
Which myth surprised you the most? Or do you know any other JavaScript myths that need debunking? Let's discuss in the comments! 💬👇
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Top comments (9)
Soo lets dicuss in the comments! 💪
JavaScript is Slow: JavaScript is still slow compared to the TOP 15 languages ranked in speed, JavaScript is still not in this list.
JavaScript is Untyped and Unsafe: TypeScript is typsafe, JavaScript isn't.
You Need jQuery to Manipulate the DOM: I'm not even a JavaScript developer and I know that no one ever said that.
JavaScript is Not Secure for Web Development: You shouldn't store API-Keys, Credentials or access database directly with your JS-Frontend. You still have to rely on real backends or frameworks.
Great points! 💡
JavaScript is slow – True compared to lower-level languages, but modern engines like V8 have made it much faster.
Untyped & Unsafe – JavaScript is dynamic, but TypeScript adds type safety for better reliability.
jQuery for DOM Manipulation –Agreed! Vanilla JS handles it just fine now.
Not Secure for Web Dev – Security depends on how it's used. Sensitive data should never be in the frontend.
Appreciate your insights! 🚀 What’s your take on JavaScript’s growth in backend dev?
*JavaScript is single thread so it's slow *
It's true, JavaScript is single thread language but it has the capabilities to handle tasks efficiently with it event manager system.
Today the part "single thread" language is half true because of the web workers which can handle processing tasks without blocking the web browser !
Let us get it straight here. JavaScript is untyped and unsafe. Typescript is typed and safe. Don't use JavaScript if you want to build serious and complex applications. Don't write as if Typescript is part of JavaScript.
Enough to use JSDoc to be safe.
Does JsDoc help you detect errors/bugs at build time? Does JsDoc prevent run time errors? Rather than combining Javascript with JsDoc for type safety, Isn't it better to use Typescript instead?
dev.to/pengeszikra/jsdoc-evangelis...
I appreciate your suggestion, but No, Thank you. I am more comfortable working with Typescript than JsDoc.
Very good points. I feel inspite of all these myths, JavaScript is lovely and has become very popular because of its versatility, simplicity, and expressiveness.