AN ARTICLE THAT INTRODUCES JAVASCRIPT AS A LANGUAGE WITH EMPHASIS ON IT’S CORE FEATURES AND ATTRIBUTES.
WHAT IS JAVASCRIPT:
JavaScript as stated by Senior developer is a prototype base,high level, interpreted multi threaded, single threaded language.
- By prototype base it means creation of object without first creating its’s classes.
- By interpreted language it means that it runs without compilation.
- By high level language it means we don’t have to deal with memory management.
- By multi threaded language it means that, it can be written as an object oriented programming or functional programming.
- By single threaded threaded language it means it can run on one trading in superior.
JavaScript is a cross-platform, object-oriented scripting language used to make webpages interactive (e.g., having complex animations, clickable buttons, popup menus, etc.). There are also more advanced server side versions of JavaScript such as Node.js, which allow you to add more functionality to a website than downloading files (such as real time collaboration between multiple computers). Inside a host environment (for example, a web browser), JavaScript can be connected to the objects of its environment to provide programmatic control over them.
JavaScript contains a standard library of objects, such as Array, Date, and Math, and a core set of language elements such as operators, control structures, and statements. Core JavaScript can be extended for a variety of purposes by supplementing it with additional objects; for example:
- Client-side JavaScript extends the core language by supplying objects to control a browser and its Document Object Model (DOM). For example, client-side extensions allow an application to place elements on an HTML form and respond to user events such as mouse clicks, form input, and page navigation.
- Server-side JavaScript extends the core language by supplying objects relevant to running JavaScript on a server. For example, server-side extensions allow an application to communicate with a database, provide continuity of information from one invocation to another of the application, or perform file manipulations on a server.
This means that in the browser, JavaScript can change the way the webpage (DOM) looks. And, likewise, Node.js JavaScript on the server can respond to custom requests sent by code executed in the browser.
FEATURES OF JAVASCRIPT
JavaScript does have some special features that make it such a popular language. JavaScript is a very handy language to learn today since almost every website uses it. The coolest part of JavaScript is, you don’t need prior knowledge of any programming language. You just need to have some basic knowledge about JavaScript.
JavaScript is divided into two main features, they are as follows —
1. General JavaScript Feature
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2. Modern JavaScript Feature
General JavaScript Features
* Validating User’s Input
JavaScript is very useful while using forms. It has the capability to validate user input for errors and also saves time. If the user leaves a required field empty or the information is incorrect, JavaScript checks for them before sending the data over to the server.
* Simple Client-side Calculations
Since JavaScript is a client-side technology, it can perform basic calculations on the browser. The browser does not need to ask server time for every task. This is especially helpful when a user needs to perform these calculations repeatedly. In these cases, connecting to the server would take a lot more time than performing the actual calculations.
* Greater Control
JavaScript provides greater control to the browser rather than being completely dependent on the web servers. JavaScript provides various browsers with additional functionalities that help reduce server load and network traffic.
* Platform Independent
Since browsers interpret JavaScript, it solves the problem of compilation and compatibility. Thus it can run on Windows, Macintosh, and other Netscape-supported systems. Also, it is possible to embed them in any other script like HTML that keeps JavaScript into use.
* Handling Dates and Time
Unlike other programming languages, JavaScript has built-in functions to determine the date and time. Thus it is very easy to code only by using methods like .getDate().
* Generating HTML Content
JavaScript has very handy features to dynamically generate HTML content for the web. It allows us to add text, links, images, tables, etc after an event occurrence (eg — mouse click).
* Detecting the User’s Browser and OS
JavaScript is very capable in the detection of the user’s browser and OS information. Though JavaScript runs on every platform, there may occur a situation where we need the user’s browser before processing. This can be helpful for writing code that results in different outputs in different browsers.
* Client Edge Technology
The client is basically a term used for Web Browser in respective of User. The data on the server gets uploaded by a client which later used by a user in the rendered form. The user gets access to the client through a web browser for surfing and interacting through websites. The client edge technology in Java Script allows the client to have full control over the content which is being updated in servers.
* Object-Centered Script Language
Object Centered Language features built in the object as Java Script has a window object. Some Common Examples of Object Centered languages are Java Script and Visual Basic etc. The object-centered languages are mostly used for features like Polymorphism which is a quality of taking an object in many forms. Use of Polymorphism within object-oriented programming requires whenever we use to represent reference of the parent class to an object of a child class.
Modern JavaScript Features
If we dive into some more recently added features of JavaScript that makes it unique from other programming languages. There are a lot more modern features of JavaScript invented after some general features. Some of them are as follows –
* Let/Const
JavaScript has introduced the keywords ‘let’ and ‘const’ that are available to replace ‘var’. Unlike ‘var’, they are important due to their blocked scope i.e we can only access them in the block we defined them in. Whereas ‘var’, even if we initialize it inside a function, we can access it outside of the function.
* Arrow Functions
These functions are very useful in simplifying the syntax and tamp down the lines of codes for the web page or web application. Since these are light-weight in syntax, they can be very easily used in anonymous functions in JavaScript.
* Template Literal
This is a common feature in other programming languages that allows you to save variables directly into strings. This proves to be an important tool for developers as it permits them to focus more on the development of the application rather than spending the time on syntax.
* New Array Functions
Though array functions are not necessary for any programming language, they do simplify things for the developer. This also compacts the code and makes it much easier to understand. A regular array and an associative array, JavaScript supports them both. While a regular array contains integer values for its index, indexes can be strings for an associative array.
* Default Parameters
This JavaScript feature helps to avoid collapsing the whole code for a simple mistake. It is very useful when the developer needs to check the working of a function without any parameters.
* Property Shorthand
Built-in methods like .get() are available for the developer’s use. These methods help avoid writing the same code every time and cut back on various lines of code. These inborn methods are really supportive of cutting back the developing time and cost.
* Statements Looping
The statement looping is used to perform the same operations repeatedly. In this operation the same set of code run in repeat manner for a specific or unspecific set of time.
* Handling Events
The Java Script has the ability to control operations updated on servers. This is basically controlling the response on the website when the user tries to perform any operation the server handled by the client like clicking on links and options, interaction response over the website, etc.
JavaScript has become amusing as well as a really exciting space to work in recent years. JavaScript has accomplished a well-organized, sustainable code base to language that gives great productivity, readability and accessibility which is also pretty fun to work with. Here we conclude our article on features of JavaScript, the above mentioned are some features and there are a lot more, both in the language and on the way. To learn more in JavaScript you may refer our next blog on JavaScript Syntax.
