How Powerful Is Javascript(and what is javascript used for)?
Learn about JavaScript and what is JavaScript used for ?
So you've just finished reading my Perfect Guide To Self-Taught Programming article and you decided to go with JavaScript as your language. Well, you may know it is a great language but you might be wondering what javascript is actually used for. Hi, I'm Mac a Student, Programmer, and Game Developer and in the following lines, I am going to showcase just how powerful the JavaScript programming language is.
The Journey of JavaScript
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"The art of programming is the skill of controlling complexity".
Marijn Haverbeke (Eloquent JavaScript)
JavaScript is a high-level just-in-time compiled programming language, with dynamic typing and has prototype-based object orientation(don't worry I don't get the meaning of that too.). Basically, JavaScript is a language used to add dynamic features to a website and also develop apps, video games, and much more. It is one of the core technologies of the World Wide Web (WWW). It was designed by Netscape in 1995 just to add dynamism to websites since websites were mostly static at the time. Then in 1996, Netscape submitted JavaScript for ECMA standardization and this is where everything started for JavaScript. Massive work on the language continued. New libraries were been developed, ECMA continued working on ECMAscript and Chrome was using JavaScript V8 engine for development. This is when JavaScript really became the most dominant Language of the Decade. The latest Release of the ECMA standardization is the ECMA6, new JavaScript libraries are been released and it is maintained by Oracle so it is not going anywhere soon. Today 98% of websites use some kind of JavaScript and it has been at the top of the most loved Languages on the StackOverflow survey for the past decade.
Areas of Application
Photo by Lee Campbell on Unsplash
JavaScript was initially created just to add some dynamic features to websites, but as time went by, new JavaScript libraries are been released and now you can use JavaScript to do pretty much anything aside from programming hardware components. Some of them include;
**1. Front-End Web Development **
This is the area where JavaScript is mostly used. It involves everything concerning the development of the Graphical User Interface of a Website. Here JavaScript is used alongside HTML and CSS to provide interaction between the user and the website. Do you want some examples? ok, examples of websites developed using JavaScript are endless but the most popular ones are Twitter, Wikipedia, etc.
If you're interested in learning how to use javascript for front-end development, click on this link to get an ebook:
Full-stack development in 7 days ebook
This book will teach you how to reason like a programmer and how to use programming concepts to solve problems
2. Back-End Web Development
This involves the development of everything you can't see on a website. Things like Data Bases, APIs, and communication with the server all make up the back-end side of a website. There was a time when this was believed to be impossible to do in JavaScript but fast forward some few Years and companies like Facebook, Google, etc all use JavaScript on the Back-end of their apps and websites. The best framework to use when programming the backend of your website in JavaScript would be Express.Js.
**3. Mobile App Development **
Mobile is fast becoming the primary way people consume information online. JavaScript can be used to code mobile applications. JavaScript's React Native is Ideal for creating Native Apps for IOS and Android e.g Instagram, Air BnB, Uber and so much more.
4. Game Development
When combined with HTML5, JavaScript can create powerful games using JavaScript game libraries. The most popular one is Phaser.Js. This library can speed gameplay and save bandwidth. Some games developed using JavaScript include Last Colony and HexGL which are both Awesome games.
5. Web Apps
JavaScript enables users to build apps quickly since it communicates directly with the browser instead of sending messages to the server. It uses APIs that provide additional functionality. It also makes the app very fast and reduces lags. For Example, GMail was developed using a JavaScript library called AngularJs.
Advantages of Learning JavaScript
a. Many Job Opportunities
According to a Stack Overflow survey, JavaScript is the most in-demand job in the developer market right now. You can obtain a job in various domains due to the wide range of applications of JavaScript. This said the main employment sector and the area with the highest pay is the Web Development domain. You can obtain a job as either a Front-End Developer, a Back-End Developer, or a Full-Stack developer even. The average pay for a JavaScript developer in the US is 105, 000 dollars.
b. Making Your Own Website
You can make your own website using JavaScript. this website can be used as a portfolio website that you can show to a potential employer. You can also use it as a blog and earn some extra income and a platform to connect with the world. If you have a business, this website can help you build credibility and it can also be a means of marketing.
c. A Lot of Freelance Opportunities
JavaScript is the most in-demand programming language for freelancers and you can charge high amounts of money for these jobs. More and more people are in need of a digital presence. If you study JavaScript you'll be able to freelance as any of web developer, game developer, app developer and so much more which can earn you extra coins.
d. Speed
JavaScript is quicker than other scripting languages because it communicates directly with the browser without needing to send messages to the server. This will not only make your apps or website faster but it will also increase the development speed since the apps will be easier to code. So it's like killing two birds with one bullet, which is technically impossible in real life but well, that's what they say.
e. Easy to Learn
Due to JavaScript's popularity, there are quazillions (this is a real number) of tutorials out there for free and there are also lots of them that are, well, not free. So you don't really need to go to college to learn JavaScript. JavaScript has a very simple syntax. People say it has a "Human-Readable" syntax which is true. So if you were scared of taking JavaScript as your language because of complexity, now you know it's not (you're welcome).
Coding in JavaScript can get very messy and frustrating since it was developed in 10 days and that's not enough time to structure a language. This causes a lot of developers to switch to TypeScript which provides a much more comfortable programming experience. But despite of that JavaScript still remains the most popular and in-demand programming language out there and I'm pretty sure it's not going anywhere for the next 2-3 decades. So Learning JavaScript nowadays is totally worth it. Remember to enjoy the journey and keep your goal in mind constantly.
(Remember to check Full-Stack development in 7 days e-book) to learn everything there is to know about front-end development in javascript.
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