Introduction to JavaScript and its application for the web.

Anand Tue, 08/17/2021 - 11:57

JavaScript is a very powerful client-side scripting language. JavaScript is used mainly for enhancing the interaction of a user with the webpage. In other words, you can make your webpage more lively and interactive, with the help of JavaScript. JavaScript is also being used widely in game development and Mobile application development.

 

History of JavaScript: It was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich while he was an engineer at Netscape. It was originally going to be named LiveScript but was renamed. Unlike most programming languages, the JavaScript language has no concept of input or output. It is designed to run as a scripting language in a host environment, and it is up to the host environment to provide mechanisms for communicating with the outside world. The most common host environment is the browser. 
Features of JavaScript: According to a recent survey conducted by Stack Overflow, JavaScript is the most popular language on earth. 
With advances in browser technology and JavaScript having moved into the server with Node.js and other frameworks, JavaScript is capable of so much more. Here are a few things that we can do with JavaScript: 
 

  • JavaScript was created in the first place for DOM manipulation. Earlier websites were mostly static, after JS was created dynamic Web sites were made.
  • Functions in JS are objects. They may have properties and methods just like another object. They can be passed as arguments in other functions.
  • Can handle date and time.
  • Performs Form Validation although the forms are created using HTML.
  • No compiler needed.

Applications of JavaScript: 
 

  • Web Development: Adding interactivity and behavior to static sites JavaScript was invented to do this in 1995. By using AngularJS that can be achieved so easily.
  • Web Applications: With technology, browsers have improved to the extent that a language was required to create robust web applications. When we explore a map in Google Maps then we only need to click and drag the mouse. All detailed view is just a click away, and this is possible only because of JavaScript. It uses Application Programming Interfaces(APIs) that provide extra power to the code. The Electron and React is helpful in this department.
  • Server Applications: With the help of Node.js, JavaScript made its way from client to server and node.js is the most powerful in the server-side.
  • Games: Not only in websites, but JavaScript also helps in creating games for leisure. The combination of JavaScript and HTML 5 makes JavaScript popular in game development as well. It provides the EaseJS library which provides solutions for working with rich graphics.
  • Smartwatches: JavaScript is being used in all possible devices and applications. It provides a library PebbleJS which is used in smartwatch applications. This framework works for applications that require the internet for its functioning.
  • Art: Artists and designers can create whatever they want using JavaScript to draw on HTML 5 canvas, make the sound more effective also can be used p5.js library.
  • Machine Learning: This JavaScript ml5.js library can be used in web development by using machine learning.