What Is JavaScript?
JavaScript as the name implies is a scripting language. Scripting languages are used to create scripts which are just tasks that are interpreted when the code is run. So JavaScript will run each line of code and stop to report an error at the first sight of one. As opposed to programming languages that are compiled and all the errors are analyzed at once. Which leads to this next point, Java and JavaScript are completely different and not related in the slightest. The key reason being Java is a programming language, and if you want to see a list of all the differences go ahead and click here. The main purpose of JavaScript is to create dynamic content, essentially making the web page interactive for the user.
Pros:
Simple and Popular- JavaScript syntax is very simple and easy to learn, which is part of the reason it is the most used language on Github.
Dynamic Interface- People like interacting with the web whether it be dragging, dropping, animations, and etc. JavaScript enables all of this.
Speed- Because JavaScript is client side, it is often run immediately on the client browser making the user interaction fairly fast.
Cons:
Security- Because JavaScript is run on the client side, the code is viewable and any bugs can sometimes be used for malicious purposes.
Browser Support- Some browsers interpret JavaScript differently, to fix you have to test code in all major browsers.
Popular Frameworks and Libraries that use JS:
Vue, React, Angular, Bootstrap, Node.js, jQuery
If you’re just looking to dip your feet into the coding field, JavaScript would be a good place to start. It’s the language I picked up the easiest during my time at Flatiron and I highly recommend it to anyone. The possibilities are endless when you learn JavaScript.
