That being said, JavaScript is a powerhouse. Allow us to explain why. Simply put, it’s the language that allows developers to add interactivity to the web page. In essence your browser needs 3 things for it to host consumable content:

• HTML that structure the said content
• CSS which is used to style it and
• Java Script which basically brings it to life!

JavaScript was developed because Java was not considered viable for the expansion of web development in order for it to be adopted on a large scale. JavaScript was developed to be able to satisfy an array of people such as scripters, designers, enterprise level professionals and off-course what we now call front-end developers. The language was also named after Java to stem off of its popularity although there are no similarities between the two languages now. To simplify things further, let’s look at some of the common things you would see in a browser that are powered by JavaScript:

• Auto-complete
• Loading new content without re-loading
• Rollover effects and our favorite dropdown menus
• fading, resizing or relocating; animated page elements
• Playing audio and video
• Validating input from forms etc.

JavaScript is called the language of the browsers because they can read it, interpret it and then run the program allowing developers to create powerful client-side experiences. It’s inserted directly in the HTML of the page and is fairly compatible with other languages. Why is this important you may ask? It’s because modern day web servers run on what we call a collaboration of different languages be it PHP, Python, Java etc. Since JavaScript is completely separate from other languages running in the browser, users have a consistent experience.

So it’s pretty impossible to not come across JavaScript if you are a developer or if you plan on becoming one which is one of the many reasons it’s prioritized at Gaper. Let’s look at some other reasons now.

Powerful front-end:

When we say powerful we mean some of the most note-worthy web applications are powered by JS like Facebook for example, or twitter even Gmail. Without JS, the status updates and other interactive elements on Facebook won’t exist. Needless to say, all these companies built their own frameworks of JavaScript, which are now allowing other developers to build their own powerful web apps! It’s a win-win.

Server-side code:

Until the arrival of Node.js, several attempts to make JavaScript run server-side were met with failure. Nobody could see it transition to a stable back-end language. Now however, JS runtime has become popular as developers use Node.js to write client-side and server-side codes without depending on external web servers.

Mobile apps:

Unlike the past, it is now possible and even easier in some cases to use JS to create mobile applications by connecting to mobile APIs. Js-powered apps can now use multiple mobile device features such the camera, localization etc.

API integrations:

JavaScript can also be used to fetch data which enables developers to execute modularity’; a technique that utilizes different tools to execute specific tasks. This enables powerful stack building in web development.

JavaScript is ever evolving, and so is its ecosystem. I personally think the future begins with less new tools being created and the big players getting more mature and gaining major adoption. We’re already observing this in the field of JS frameworks, where React and Vue.js are taking the edge.

As JavaScript evolves, it is becoming more and more clear that instead of new languages and tools, the old ones are gaining popularity as they mature and become more stable; and powerful. One prominent example of this is ReactJs. So whatever the case maybe, JavaScript Is a powerful language that is here to stay!