How Does JavaScript Work?
You probably don’t get very far in tech without running into javascript. Whether it’s your Facebook timeline updating on your screen or Google suggesting search terms based on the letters you’re typing, these web-based features are powered by javascript. But how exactly does it work? If you haven’t already, enable javascript in your chrome browser by clicking on the 3 dots at the top right corner of your browser.
JavaScript is a programming language that allows developers to create dynamic websites and other applications. It is commonly used to build interactive websites and has become one of the most widely-used languages in the world. According to surveys, 97% of websites use javascript and it is the most widely-used scripting language for web pages. It is a single-threaded and interpreted compiled language that can be used for both client-side and server-side development. It uses a callback queue to handle events and is known as a function-oriented language.
Unlike other programming languages, javascript is not strongly typed. It is a dynamically-typed language, which means that the types of variables are determined at run time by the values they store. It supports a wide range of numeric operations including +, -, *, /, % (remainder), and ** (exponentiation). It also supports string concatenation with toString and valueOf functions, casts numbers to strings with numberToString and stringToNumber, and is able to execute statements provided as input at run time with the eval function.
Like other languages, javascript has a wide variety of control structures and statement elements that allow developers to create complex programs. It is an object-oriented language, which makes it easier for developers to write code that is reusable and easily understandable. It has a simple structure that is easy to learn, runs faster than some other languages, and has good error handling. Its popularity has been driven by its versatility, compatibility with other languages, and its ability to manipulate the Document Object Model (DOM).
Although javascript isn’t perfect, it still provides many advantages over other programming languages. Its flexibility has made it an indispensable tool for modern website developers, and its speed helps ensure that web pages load quickly. Its simplicity makes it easier to learn and understand, and its errors are often clear and easy to fix. Its interpreted nature also makes it more portable than other languages, as it can be run in any browser that has a built-in javascript interpreter. And, since it was created for web browsers, it is widely available, and its underlying engines are often very fast.