What Is JavaScript Used For? Examples Of JavaScript Applications
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To all the aspiring and already established Web developers, JavaScript (JS) holds utter importance in their careers. It is one of the most common yet the finest coding languages taking the market by storm at present. Harnessing JavaScript programming language, developers can easily add the essence of interactiveness and appeal to websites, web applications, games, art, smartwatch apps, server applications, web servers, presentations, mobile apps, and flying robots.
Interestingly, major industry giants and a whopping number of developers plump for JavaScript for improvising innovative applications and websites. Other than its high usage on the web and mobile server, it is extensively trending in IoT for its faster functions, enhanced scalability, a good hand at I/O, and a lot of plugins. Simply put, it is the present and future of web development that completely live up to the goal set by Java – write once, run everywhere. Looking at its blooming significance, this guide presents a detailed response to what is Javascript and common JavaScript examples.
What Is JavaScript?
For beginners who wish to start with subjective information and looking for what is Javascript, it is a scripted language that is mainly put into use for boosting the interaction of the user with a web page. In other words, it helps the developers to make the webpage more lively and alluring. The usage of the JS language plays a great role in the success of the business that mainly relies on the performance of their websites and mobile applications.
Why Javascript is Used
A better way of understanding the major function of JavaScript is to realize the online features that people experience every day such as the figure changing effect of count-down timers, Google recommending search terms based on a few typed letters, and others. In other words, it is a fascinating language to develop appealing animations and autocompletes on distinguished platforms. As Douglas Crockford once said, “In JavaScript, there is a beautiful, elegant, highly expressive language that is buried under a steaming pile of good intentions and blunders.” Check out the following features of the JavaScript programming language for deeper insights.
Object-Centred – JS language is object-centered as it possesses the quality of taking an object in several forms. This being the reason, it is commonly harnessed for designing web pages and giving the user extra control over the browser.
Platform Independent – Browsers interpreted with JavaScript works on Windows, Macintosh, and other Netscape-supported platforms as it solves the issue of compatibility. Additionally, it can be embedded into the script like HTML for enhanced functionalities.
Generation Of HTML Content – JS possesses the features to generate HTML content for the web. This helps developers to add texts, images, links, tables, and etc to a web page.
Enhanced Control – Instead of depending completely on web servers, it offers enhanced control to the browsers. Besides, the function of JavaScript also lessens server load and network traffic on browsers.
Other Incredible Features – JS consists of several other features that make it the second most demanded language after Java. These are validating the user’s input, simple client-side calculations, properly handling date and time, and detecting the user’s browser and OS.
Moreover, JavaScript update has brought additional features such as Let/Const, arrow functions, template literal default parameters, property shorthand, and others.
Difference Between Java and Javascript
Most non-tech people and programmers at the initial stage often get confused between Java and JavaScript. But the fact is that other than the word, ‘Java’, there are a lot of differences between Java and JavaScript, the programming languages used by developers or programmers.
Talking specifically, Java and JS languages are written, assembled, and executed varyingly. The major difference between Java and JavaScript is their usage. Where the former is harnessed at plentiful places such as credit card programming, development of desktop applications, and Android apps, the latter on the other hand is mainly meant to make web pages interactive and appealing. A few other differences between the two includes:
| S.NO | JAVA | JAVASCRIPT |
| 1. | It is an Object-Oriented Programming language. | It is an Object-based scripting language. |
| 2. | Applications created by Java work on virtual machines and browsers. | JavaScript’s code runs on the browser only. |
| 3. | It is a standalone language. | It is not a standalone language as it needs to be integrated into an HTML program. |
| 4. | It is complex to learn. | It is easy to learn, grasp, and execute. |
| 5. | Code needs to be compiled. | Codes are all in text. |
How JavaScript Works?
JavaScript is a client-side scripting language, that is, it runs on the client’s side inside the web browser. It is important for a programmer to ensure that client-side browsers support JS language. Today, most modern browsers like Chrome have their own JavaScript object and engines. Some significant examples of browsers that support this popular coding language are Edge, Safari, and Firefox.
Before beginners should try their hands at the language, it is necessary to have a grasp of how web browsers work and the role of Document Object Model (DOM). DOM is created when a web browser loads the web page and breaks down HTML. As a consequence, DOM presents a live view of a web page to JavaScript code.
Later, anything linked to HTML, that is images or CSS information (obtained from CSS parser) is grabbed by a web browser. DOM then puts HTML and CSS together to develop a web page. That’s where the role of the JS engine enters into play. It loads JS files and inclines code, however, only after HTML and CSS end up with loading. Subsequent to all this, a programmer can write a code using JS coding language. As a result, DOM will be updated and rendered by the browser.
When the Use of JavaScript Is Recommended?
According to W3Techs, there are over 1.6 billion websites in the world, and 95% of them make use of JavaScript for web development. Clearly, JS language is one of the popular and most in-demand languages to write code for web development.
JavaScript was first introduced in 1996 by Brendan Eich of NetScape Communications. Aimed to help web designers develop web content and make web pages interactive, it was regarded as ‘glue language’. One of the interesting facts associated with JS language is that it took only 2 weeks to develop.
How Did It Become So Popular?
Initially, JavaScript language was not intended to be a cornerstone of web development. It all started with the first browser war between Microsoft and NetScape, as both wanted to acquire dominance in the share of web browsers.
To be on the crest of waves, Netscape required a lighter and faster scripting language. Eich, an employee of NetScape developed JavaScript (initially known as Mocha) within ten days to make web development more accessible. However, AOL acquired NetScape, which later turned their browser’s code to Mozilla Firefox. That being the case, the popularity of JS, an individual coding language spiked up. Today, it is one of the most powerful programming languages and recommended to every modern web developer who works on making web pages dynamic and interactive.
Why use JavaScript over other programming languages?
Among all the other programming languages, modern programmers plump for JavaScript because of its state-of-the-art features and benefits. In short, whether it is about the race of TypeScript vs JavaScript, Java vs JavaScript, JavaScript vs Python, or comparison with any other language, JS is preferred more at present. Check out why programmers should use JS over other programming languages.
JS Develop Faster And Smoother
One of the major reasons behind the high usage of JS is that it helps developers develop faster and smoother because of the fewer lines. The option of JavaScript split limits the requirement of code and it is only sent when a user loads an application. Thus, by reducing the expanse of the time script needed to compile, the practice of JavaScript split boosts the speed of page load times. On other hand, in contrast to TypeScript vs JavaScript, the former usually takes more time to compile a code.
JS Is Easy To Learn
JS is an object-based scripting language and contains a smaller and simpler set of programming constructs in contrast to JavaScript vs Python or TypeScript vs JavaScript. Beginners in the development field can easily read and understand JS. Moreover, this standardization of JS helps aspiring developers to make a convenient shift to full-stack developers from a front-end developer in their careers.
JS Is More Popular
Stack Overflow’s Developer Survey has regarded JS as the best and commonly used programming language among professional developers, for six years in a row. Simply put, JavaScript object is highly valued when modern developers have to implement client-side scripts, write server-side code, or create a responsive web design. While in the race of JavaScript vs Python and TypeScript vs JavaScript, both Python and TypeScript are less popular relatively.
JS is Up-To-Date
Ever since JS has been released, the efforts towards JavaScript update are consistent. Every year, a new JavaScript update is introduced for smoother and innovative development. For this reason, it is one of the most trusted programming languages in the development world.
Other Reasons
Doubtlessly, JS is a fast, flexible, and multifaceted language that brings efficiency in web and mobile app development. Some of the other reasons that make JS the best among the rest are ample add-on-extensions, interoperability, rich interfaces, faster loading times due to JavaScript split, versatility, and great statistics.
Examples of JavaScript Applications
It is beyond the shadow of a doubt that JavaScript is one of the incredible languages to develop web and mobile apps. With the use of its several different frameworks, developers can make web pages interactive for a better user experience. Below-mentioned are the common JavaScript examples that can help beginners have an enhanced understanding of its applications.
Web And Mobile Application Development
JS comprises various frameworks that make it possible for developers to create mobile and web apps. These are React Native, Angular, and Ionic. These frameworks simplify development and allow the creation of dynamic and interactive web pages. Additionally, JS is prominent in running widgets, opening PDFs, and loading web page content.
The remarkable companies like Microsoft, Paypal, Netflix, Groupon, Uber, Facebook, Google, eBay, Walmart, and LinkedIn are some of the significant examples of JavaScript applications.
Game Development
One of the popular JavaScript examples is game development. The EaselJS library, a library known for its rich graphics, is useful in creating JavaScript games. Moreover, the combination of JS and HTML5 is highly favored among developers for developing JavaScript games for web browsers. Secondly, HTML5 provides full access to the web along with additional plugins. A few popular existing JavaScript games include HexGl, Crosscode, Gods Will Be Watching, Swooop, Entanglement, Polycraft, Angry birds, and more.
Presentations
Accessing online presentations on mobile devices and tablets is one of the common JavaScript examples. This is because of the availability of two significant options in RevealJS and BespokeJS in JS libraries. Where RevealJS framework is capable of transforming touch into programming, BespokeJS, on the other hand, is a feature-heavy framework that presents the properties such as animated bullets, scaling, and syntax highlighting. Overall, the usage of both frameworks helps in the smooth development and accessibility of online presentations.
Server Applications
The advancement of Node.js let JS turn its way to the server from a web browser. It is the key part of back-end infrastructure that helps developers write, test, and debug code. As a result of which, server-side software can be written. This usage of this popular JavaScript example can be witnessed in the form of Opera Unite Feature, a server application of Opera Browser.
Digital Art
JavaScript examples are not just limited to web and mobile app development but also play an important role in the concept of digital art. HTML5 specifications provide a canvas element that is effective in creating three-dimensional spaces, thus helping to develop digital art projects. In short, JS is not only the key to develop for web developers but also for designers.
In The End
Now that there is a better idea of what is Javascript and common examples of Javascript, it would not be wrong to say that it brings a bundle of benefits in the field of web development, game development, art, and other digital aspects. Being the most popular and easiest language to write code, it provides new opportunities for JavaScript developers to hit the jackpot in 2021. Above all, the continuous JavaScript updates and bloom in its demand are the evidence that the language is going to break new grounds in the development world.
