What is JavaScript and what is it used for?

Have you ever filled in an online form? Have you used an online calculator before? This is just a fraction of the things JavaScript can do.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is one of the most widely used scripting programming languages for the World Wide Web.  Developed in 1995 by Brendan Eich, it provides all instant and dynamic interactions that happen between a user and a browser. It’s true that it has gone a long way, but today we can openly say that there is hardly anything JavaScript cannot do. Almost all web pages that we are currently using are able to perform far more functionalities than simply loading data in a document. Yes, all thanks to JavaScript.

Recent research has shown that in 2017 alone 94.9% of all websites on the Internet use this programming language. The most popular among them are Google, Yahoo, Amazon, Facebook, Wikipedia, etc. Why? Because JavaScript creates interactive and personalized interfaces with great UI design and dynamic functionalities, all user-oriented.

JavaScript and Java

JavaScript and Java have very little in common; except that they are both used for Object-Oriented Programming (OOP), have close syntax, and similar names. We are not going to dig any deeper into the subject, but let’s just briefly point out that:

• They use different plug-ins
• JavaScript is a scripting language, and Java is not

What is JavaScript used for?

The number of JavaScript functionalities has increased significantly over the years. Initially, the language was used to simply regulate the way a user interacts with a website: online questionnaires and contact forms, feedback in the form of notifications, alerts, and more. Today, however, it has evolved to such an extent that you can even operate a drone with it. Here is what JavaScript can do:

• Creating mobile apps
• Development of desktop and web applications
• Loading information via AJAX
• Creating operating systems for smart watches
• Differentiating between browsers and modifying web pages according to each one
• Animation of webpage items
• Pop-ups
• Presentations in the form of a website
• Periodically updating changing data
• Works even when offline
• and more and more

The conclusion…

The benefits of JavaScript are what make it one of the favorite programming languages used by our developers. In addition to expanding the functionality of web pages, it is an extremely easy language to learn and practice. It provides great user experience – fast and of high quality.

Check out the other programming languages we use daily in our work.