Developed in 1995 by Netscape engineer and programmer Brendan Eich, JavaScript is a text-based, open-source scripting language that can manipulate HTML and other elements of a web page. It has become one of the building blocks of front-end web development. It is used to create interactive, dynamic web pages that can respond to user input. It can also be used to perform other tasks such as data validation and logging of user behavior.
JavaScript is also used on server-side websites to provide interactivity. It is a lightweight programming language that has the advantage of requiring minimal compilation. It is also supported by a number of major web browsers. It is able to run on virtually any operating system, and is also a cross-platform language.
JavaScript’s capabilities in the browser are limited, however. It is unable to read arbitrary files stored on the hard disk. The eval function can execute statements given as strings, though it cannot do so directly. It can however cast a string to a number.
JavaScript is also useful in that it can add animations to images. It can also add a “next” button on a web page. It is also a good way to make your pages more interactive, as it allows users to interact with the content on a page without reloading it.
JavaScript is also a good example of how technology can be incorporated into a website to enhance its usability. The Facebook “timeline” is a great example of how this technology is being utilized. This feature is used by Facebook to automatically update the time on the page, as well as other content. It can also be used for ad tracking.
JavaScript is also used to make complex, interactive websites that interact with users. Developers use it to build web games, connect servers with websites, and to create a variety of other interesting applications. These include ad tracking and analytics. It is also commonly used in conjunction with CSS to give a more dynamic look to a page.
Another JavaScript feature is dynamic typing. This means that the code may be rewritten as the user interacts with the site. This is important because it can reduce the risk of data loss. It is also a nice feature to have when developing a page for multiple users.
The eval function can be used to validate information about a user, such as age. It checks a set of lines of code to see if the user is in a specific age range. It then returns the correct answer, and even shows the user the correct age in the context of his own demographic.
The Ease JS library provides a simple solution to work with rich graphics and 2D image sprites. These features can save bandwidth and reduce the number of server requests. They are particularly useful for websites that require a lot of image content, such as blogs or forums.
The name JavaScript may be a trademark of Netscape, but it is also a trademark of ECMA International, which continuously updates the language to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of its users. The most common uses of JavaScript are in web applications and client-side programming.