Between Java and HTML, such As JavaScript for the main language of the Web, was

4. December has become a JavaScript 25 years old – that is reason enough to take a closer look at the history of the programming language.

Today, JavaScript is behind nearly 95% of all the Websites that pays the biggest Youtube, Facebook, and Twitter – in. The beginnings of the programming language, however, was rather bumpy. In the outstaffing development of the first prototype, Brendan Eich, the developer of the specification invested, just ten days. In addition, the language was frowned upon in “real” programmers for a long time: In developer circles JavaScript was initially in the best case, as a script language and not as a serious programming language.

A scripting language for Netscape Navigator

The early 90s were an important time for the Internet. In 1994, Netscape was founded – in addition to Microsoft, one of the first companies, which brought to a web browser forth. Brendan Eich was hired in 1995 by Netscape in order to develop a programming language for the Browser, Netscape Navigator,. The Catch for him was that he was able to base the language on a Lisp dialect called Scheme – which led, among other things, JavaScript has called Clojures. Self is another programming language, whose influence, even today, in JavaScript, is noticeable. The prototypical inheritance in JavaScript, does not come from Self – even if the implementation of the concept in JavaScript is quite as elegant as its model.

The language of the Designer

In the same year, Java in the Browser. The technology, called Java Applets, was introduced to programs on the client side in the web browser to run. The technology quickly gained popularity. It is considered to be one of the reasons for the success and the rapid adoption of Java. This popularity is due, in part, JavaScripts a little unfortunate naming. In may 1995, the language was called Mocha, it was briefly renamed the live script and in December of the same year, in the Wake of a license agreement between Netscape and Sun finally to JavaScript.

With Java Applets, there was already a way to bring interactivity in the Browser. Nevertheless, Netscape, looked at the time, the need for further programming language for the Web. At that time, the concept of a web designer came up. JavaScript should serve as a kind of glue between the components, i.e., images, plug-ins and Java Applets – a language that is also a part-time programmer and web designer would quickly get to grips with. “Java was for us at that time, the ‘language’ that was used by highly skilled programmers. JavaScript was, however, as a Tool for the designers, they used the language for the construction of components for the automation of interactions. The Web bot 1995, particularly a lot of options for the programming. There were Java Applets. But to use the needed developer more than a basic knowledge of a very complex language,“ said Eich, 2008, in an Interview.

Java naming and syntax model

One of the requirements Netscapes it was then, that the Syntax of the “glue language” should be similar to those of the prevailing trend of Java language what languages are perhaps the more obvious choice of one of the already existing script as Syntax-models excluded. The fact that he had to make his prototype ready in no time and was subsequently deployed without major Revisions, there Eich even today, the debt the way a little wayward Design of the programming language.

Apart from the similar name and a similar Syntax, JavaScript and Java have but little in common. For executing Java programs in the Browser, the Code must be compiled first. JavaScript is executed during run-time, and was thus, by design much more dynamic.

Although JavaScript was not at first particularly well performed and the “real programmers” rather be ridiculed, it was the UI-glue language to the Non-developer and Designer, and the result was that the Web was in the 90s, massive boost.

ECMA takes over

In 1997, Netscape handed over the task to create a language specification for the rapidly growing language in the European Computer Manufacturers Association, ECMA. In 1961, with the goal to develop Standards for Hardware, Software, and data processing and communication systems, is known to the industry today, mainly due to the Assumption of responsibility for, under the name ECMA-262 summarized ECMAScript specifications for the ECMA-Script languages, JavaScript, ActionScript and JScript.

In the following two years, between 1997 and 1999, was revised in the ECMA-262 three Times. The fourth Version, ECMAScript 4, lasted for a full ten years, until she gave up in 2009, and ECMAScript 5 has been superseded. The reason for this disagreement about the development and direction of impact of the specification. Some of the then-controversial Proposals for new functions have been interesting addressed in newer ECMAScript specs. The project Harmony, which had decided at the development JavaScripts parties involved, in 2008, to make the controversial ECMAScript 4 Proposal to undo, found in 2015 with the publication of ECMAScript 6 in its financial statements.

Ajax changed everything

In the meantime, the initially laughed at the glue had blossomed language finally to a serious programming language. In 2005, Ajax came and changed everything. Ajax stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. The technology made it possible to load individual components of a Web application if required, asynchronous, and has client-side, dynamic Web Apps possible. You offset JS developer for the first time in the situation to give your Webpages a UX that reached almost to the native Desktop Apps approach.

In the middle of the zero years of the still young JS developer Community stand in front of numerous challenges. JavaScript programs to perform simple actions often consist of many lines of Code. Browser compatibility problems did make the rest of your order to JS developers life difficult. In consequence the first major JavaScript Frameworks and libraries created at this time. The most influential: jQuery.

CommonJS paves the way for Node.js

In 2009, the CommonJS project should drive the development of JavaScript outside of the browser preceded by the bot for the first time, a way to package Code and functionality of modules that can be run outside of the browser. CommonJS was the Foundation for the development of Node.js and JavaScript captured the back-end programming.

And today?

Today, JavaScript is more GitHub Repositories to use than any other programming language – and the trend is rising. A variety of JavaScript Frameworks and libraries does the Rest, to fuel this development. Ember, React, Vue or Angular to allow it to write to small development teams, complex Web applications, which would be without them, often many times more expensive. In the development of native mobile Apps in JavaScript is gaining popularity because it allows easy Sharing of Code between the two worlds.

The variety of Frameworks and Libraries, each with their own Syntax and logic has led to the end of the 10 years to a kind of counter-movement, a more on the origins of JavaScript prudent use of the language. Web Components and Modules are just two of the approaches that could define the future JavaScripts more. Also, if JavaScript with the advent of modern Browser technologies – Web Assembly, anyone? – its share of the Web in the future, share, probably reinforced with other languages like Rust, C or C++, the programming language, 2021 and beyond, one of the hottest tips not only for aspiring developers.

Ready to see us in action:

More To Explore

IWanta.tech
Logo
Enable registration in settings - general
Have any project in mind?

Contact us:

small_c_popup.png