If you’ve ever taken a course in web development or even just watched a movie about it, then chances are that you’ve heard of JavaScript (or JS for short). This programming language is one of the core technologies behind the World Wide Web and is also a great tool for creating interactive apps, websites, and games.
It’s a popular and versatile programming language for web developers, and it’s used to create a variety of different types of applications across all industries. From website management to online gaming, JS has become the go-to language for creating dynamic content.
The history of javascript
In the early days of the internet, HTML was the primary way for browsers to display static web pages. These pages did not offer many user interactions beyond clicking links and loading new pages. However, in the mid-1990s, a JavaScript programming language was developed to make web pages more interactive and responsive.
This scripting language was designed to work with the Netscape Navigator web browser, which was used by most users at the time. It was originally called ‘LiveScript’, but due to trademark reasons, it was finally renamed to ‘JavaScript’ in 1995.
The JavaScript language has a basic compiler that compiles the code into an intermediate representation (IR) which is called ‘bytecode’ and then feeds it to an interpreter that converts the IR to machine code that can then run on a computer’s hardware. The interpreter then takes this machine code and runs it in a browser to produce a page that the web browser can show to the user.
It is a cross-platform, object-based scripting language that can be implemented on any device with a Java compatible browser. It is known for its security and portability, as well as its ability to insert dynamic text right into a web page’s HTML and run automatically as the page loads.
Besides working on the client side of the browser, it is also used to write frontend and backend code for servers to make a website more intuitive. It’s also used to create mobile apps for smartphones, which are becoming increasingly common in the market.
There are several advantages to using JavaScript, including the fact that it is a compiled language which means that it’s faster and more secure than an interpreted one. It also supports multiple programming paradigms like object-oriented programming, which allows you to develop more complex and dynamic programs.
When working with a JavaScript, it is important to remember that it is an order-sensitive language. This means that you need to reference objects or variables in a specific order, and then modify them accordingly. If you don’t do this, it will result in an undefined error.
You can also add comments to a block of code, which helps the JavaScript interpreter understand where you want it to go next. This can help improve readability, as the reader will be able to see where you’re going without reading the entire code block.