What is JavaScript?

JavaScript also known as JS is a high level interpreted programming language used for dynamic web page development. Even to date it act as one of the primary constituent of the currently existing World Wide Web frameworks accompanied by HTML and CSS. This article will endeavor to provide an orientation to the utility of JavaScript including its basic attributes, pros, cons, and situations of application.

A Brief History of JavaScript

JavaScript is one of the oldest programmable web languages which was developed by Netscape and Communications Corporation during 1990s while the company was developing its new Navigator web browser. Brendan Eich, a programmer of Netscape communications group, came under the challenge of taking up the coding challenge for a scripting language to broaden the Web page functionality among developers. It was developed in 1995 and initially called LiveScript, but because Java was all the rage at the time, the imaginations behind the language chose to dub it JavaScript.

Netscape Navigator 2.0 made in 1995 with aids of JavaScript. This was a giant step towards the future of using themes in the web since it was now possibile to design hooks that could generate new portions of web content depending on the kind of feed back received from the user.

JaveScript has grown over the years and it was included in every nook and cranny of the internet and is one of the most famous languages. The ECMAScript specification of JavaScript code that surfaced in 1997 actually cemented its position as the platform of the web.

Key Features of JavaScript

Dynamic Typing: JavaScript is a type of scripting language and also dynamic language, so in comparison with statically typed languages sometimes more complicated, sometimes not easy to using on the other hand it gives JavaScript possibility of using at run time error.
Object-Oriented Programming: The basic concepts of OOP are implemented in JavaScript, with structures including classes, objects, inheritance, polymorphism and so on. This enables developers to get away from the continuous reusing of the same code but they will develop it in the forms of module.
Asynchronous Programming: JavaScript is wonderful for asynchronous programming that causes JavaScript to be able to work on tasks that would take a long time to execute, and yet, other tasks within the same program would be executing simultaneously. This is even more true in web-based applications where it is important to request for servers and all other resources.
DOM Manipulation: JavaScript communicates with what is called document object model, or the tree structure of the file that is structure of the current HTML file It does. It means that developers are in a position of being able to change the current layout and content of web pages whenever they want to.
Cross-Platform Compatibility: Since JavaScript is used in the newest web browsers it can be categorized as belonging to relatively non-portable programming languages. This is why you can run any JavaScript code on any device, at any platform you prefer for your websites development at.

Advantages of JavaScript

Ease of Use: JavaScript in general is not very complex for developer to learn, to implement or even master especially if the developer has knowledge of other programming languages.
Versatility: It is fully flexible and can be used right from client-side scripting to server-side scripting.
Large Community: As is one of the most used language and has large active community of developers much useful information and help can be found.
Performance: JavaScript has evolved about optimisation; the current web browsers are very efficient in executing JavaScript at really high speed.
Frameworks and Libraries: There are many JavaScript frameworks and libraries in the world today among them are react, angular and vue. js.

Disadvantages of JavaScript

Security Risks: JavaScript codes are also vulnerable to attack such as cross-site scripting attack (XSS) and injection attack.
Browser Compatibility Issues: Its time to evaluate utilization of this instrument, that is what scripts most of the new versions of browsers support with certain limitations and incompatibility of different browsers and their versions.
Performance Limitations: Sometimes, the JavaScript language is not as efficient as the other languages in some areas, in fact it performs slower in computation problems.

Daily Applications of JavaScript

Client-Side Scripting: JavaScript is mostly applied in the web client application because it can be helpful in determination of web pages that could be changed through inputs from the web client.
Server-Side Development: Node js is one of the most used platforms by which developers can utilize javascript in coding at server end to develop applications which can easily grow and have good performance.
Mobile App Development: The uses of the JavaScript are in example in creation of the mobile applications using frameworks like React Native and Ionic.
Game Development: Web Games and other related interactive solution can be written in JavaScript.
Desktop Applications: Electron is a technology that allows developers to create a single application for such platforms as desktop applications using a JavaScript, HTML, CSS.

Summary

JavaScript is an interpreted language that is used in augments by categorizing it as dynamic and general language in general web development technologies today. The main benefits are: the use of dynamic typing, obvious object-oriented properties, synchronization capabilities, and DOM availability. Even though these weaknesses are evident; security issues, cross-browser issues etc JavaScript has strengths that cover for it most of the times. Thus, further tendencies on web further development is a guarantee that JavaScript will remain one of the major technologies on the Web over tens of coming years.

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