JavaScript is a multi-paradigm programming language that is commonly used as an embedded tool for programmatic access to various application objects. From a web development perspective, without knowledge of this technology, it is impossible to engage in the creation of modern interactive Web sites. The JS language is what “animates” the markup of pages (HTML) and user functionality (CMS) of websites. With this language realized the possibility of the reaction of the page or its individual elements to the actions of the visitor. Today JavaScript is the basic programming language for browsers. It is fully compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac OS, and all popular mobile platforms.
How the technology works
Now it is necessary to understand what JavaScript is in terms of operation. All user actions in the browser window create events, and JS programming allows to process them in a certain way.
Positive features of the technology
What JS is, and how it works, we’ve figured out. But why is this programming language so widespread? The main advantage is considered a full integration with HTML, allowing you to transform the page without restrictions. With the help of JavaScript specialist can:
quickly integrate into the code of the page any tags;
determine the appearance of elements;
Perform positioning of objects;
retrieve user data;
Interact with the server (AJAX).
And that’s just the basic and most used features of the technology. Application of JavaScript allows you to do within a page almost everything you need.
Should beginners learn JS
The JavaScript programming language is well-suited for learning from scratch. It is not overloaded with technical points, but already contains all the basic components:
data structures;
algorithms;
object-oriented model.
Traditionally, it is recommended to begin your way in programming with Basic and Pascal. These languages will help to understand the basics, but you should understand that you can not monetize or practically apply the acquired knowledge. And JavaScript is a popular and really working technology.
An important advantage of JS is the fact that it has syntactic similarities with Java, C++, C# and PHP. These programming languages are also actively used in their respective niches, so the novice web developer will be useful to get acquainted with them.
What is limited to JavaScript
In its pure form, that is, without special add-ons JS language can only function within the browser. Even so, there are security restrictions. For example, JavaScript can only close the tab it has created. In general this programming language is made for browsers and the internet and should not be used outside of them.
Are there any competitors
There is no technology in the web development industry today which can push JavaScript from its leadership position. It’s just so handy and successful that there’s no point in creating something new. With the classic JS can only compete with some add-ons. These include TypeScript, Dart, and CoffeeScript. They often have more convenient and simpler code, but it is still transformed into pure JavaScript before execution.
The main advantage of JS can be considered its stable relevance. The language appeared more than 20 years ago, but it continues to evolve. This is definitely not a technology that will be obsolete in a few years, after you have spent time learning it.
What’s worth mastering before JavaScript
The JS language can be learned without any foundation, but there are directions to help along the way. A very good help will be mastering HTML and CSS. In general, activities in the field of web development is better to start with the creation of static pages, which in the process can be brought to life using JavaScript. Learning HTML and CSS will help you get a basic knowledge of the principles of websites and data transfer.
Where you can go from here
After a thorough study of JavaScript, you can improve your skills in almost any direction. It is recommended to master frameworks and libraries, which will allow you to use effective sets of functional classes. The list of the most common technologies in this group includes jQuery, Angular and React. It is also worth paying attention to the add-ons TypeScript, Dart and CoffeeScript. Depending on the chosen technology, they will help to make the program code more compact, stricter or cleaner.
Today, the trend in development, based on the JavaScript is server-side programming technology Node.js. This technology is actively used by Apple, BMW, Amazon and other large companies.