JavaScript Tutorial : What is JavaScript ?

 What is JavaScript ?

Introduction

JavaScript is a client side programming language which means that it is compiled by the browser. JavaScript is used to make the page dynamic. Dynamic means to apply some effect on page like fading effect, show,  hide or programming on HTML page like calculating, creating clock etc.

JavaScript was developed by Brendan Eich in 1995. JavaScript was previously called Live Script which was created for Netscape. Java was very popular programming language at that time thus to be embed with Java programming language, hence its name was JavaScript.

 

JavaScript Programming 

But later JavaScript prepared its own specification so that it became a fully independent strong programming language. Now it has no relation with java.

JavaScript has its own specification called ECMAScript. ECMA (European Computer Manufacturer Association) is a standard organization for information and communication system. The programs in this language are called scripts and can be written in a web page and run automatically when page loads.

Previously JavaScript was generally used for client side programming such as performing basic validation. But now modern JavaScript can be client side as well as server side too for example Node.js

JavsScript Version

JavaScript was released as version 1.0 in March 1996 in Netscape Navigator 2.0 known as ES1 (ECMAScript1) and the latest version of JavaScript is ECMAScript 2018.

Though JavaScript is compiled by Browser because the browser has a default compiler or embedded engine called java virtual machine.

For example

Chrome or opera has V8 compiler

Firefox has SpiderMonkey compiler

JavaScript Features:

1. Integration of JavaScript with HTML / CSS.

2. JavaScript is default supported by all browsers.

3. JavaScript is most commonly used web development me.

4. JavaScript page gives faster processing on browser.

5. JavaScript is called light weight programming language. Because whenever the client requests a data, it does not perform a complete round trip on the server.

6. Use of JavaScript to give rich interface to website.

7. Due to JavaScript client side, the processing required from the server of the page is reduced.

8. Use of JavaScript goes to make web page dynamic.

9. Interoperability: it can be easily interoperated with other language and can be used in a huge variety of application.