JavaScript

What is JavaScript anyway?

JavaScript was designed to be an easy-to-use high-level language to help with website interactivity. It can be run on both the webpage and the server with tools like node, deno, or the recently popular, bun.

JavaScript is good to know for many reasons, some of which include its strengths in front-end web development, cross-platform compatibility (universal language for building interactive elements on the web), client-side scripting, a vast ecosystem of libraries and frameworks, back-end development (with stuff like node.js), async programming, strong community, mobile app development, and career opportunities.

Build anything and get a job anywhere, but it can be weird ugly, and challenging to know where to begin. Name another language that allows you to easily build a website, mobile app, desktop app, server, operating system, AI, etc. Because of this, it is arguably the most popular language in the world.

JavaScript is interpreted line by line, unlike programming languages that must be compiled like C++. This being said, interpreted doesn’t quite describe JavaScript accurately. Under the hood of the browser, the engine “V8” converts JavaScript to machine code which is called “just in time” (JIT) compilation - making it very fast.