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ECMAScript vs JavaScript vs TypeScript

Omari on March 05, 2024

While you’re reading about JavaScript and TypeScript online, you might come across references to some mystical third language — ECMAScript. Think...
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KooiInc •

A few (historical) remarks:

  • JScript still exists, even in Windows 11. It was the in 1995 reverse-engineered version of the Netscape javascript interpreter.
  • ECMA stands for 'European Computer Manufacturers Association'. We have Netscape to thank for the standards (requesting standardization from ECMA was one of their moves in the 'browser wars' back in the day).
  • Typescript is not a programming language. As you later on remark it's a superset of ECMAScript. In my opinion a completely unnecessary superset btw.
  • Intitially registered by Sun Microsystems (who took over Netscape) "JavaScript" is a trademark of Oracle Corporation (who acquired Sun later on) in the United States.
  • To be complete: Javascript has nothing to do with Java. It started out as Mocha, later renamed by Netscape to Livescript and on its official release renamed to Javascript (a marketing ploy, because in those days Java boomed on the internet). Sadly enough, the name sticked. I always try to use ECMAScript, but it's an uphill battle.