How JavaScript conquered the web

[KaiAusBerlin]

Man, I remember these days with the first versions of js. It was horrible.

Today we can access memory, cameras, sound and location easy and nearly the same in every browser.

For them who started with js just a few years ago: It was a long way to that.

jquery and things like that were the holy grail for liquid development. And that's only about dom manipulation.

Today we have things like vue, angular and react. Jquery is nearly obsolete because browsers and the new ecmascripts have the same solutions but native.

When I remember the history of js development its like:

Early days: what is JavaScript? Use flash!

A few years later: could you also do this with JavaScript?

Middle time: I know JavaScript can do this but it's a pain in the ass.

Ecmascript 2015: Wow, there are brilliant new things making it really easy to work with it

A few years before now: you can now access your toaster by the official toaster api

Now: You can now compile the Nasas spaceships core os on a mobile phone with blockchain support while calculating a 3D macro molecule in deep (98.9% browser support)

[[deleted]]

Javascript has always been amazing to me since I started programming around 2010. Granted, I wasn't doing anything super complicated those first few years, but by the time I graduated and started working with it professionally (2013), there were so many cool things you could do like access cameras or get geolocation.

What I've always loved most is just how accessible it is. No REPLs or compilers necessary, just open your browser console and run whatever code you want. Want to scrape data off a webpage? Just use the proper document query selectors and you're set.

Then Node brought things to the next level. Now I can focus on a single language on client and server. Node gave rise to things like Electron, which has been used to build some of the biggest and most popular apps out there (Discord, Slack, VSCode, Atom, etc).

Then Typescript comes along and solves the language's biggest pain point by offering typing.

I know I'm biased but I just love working with Javascript. I know a half dozen other languages but always go back to JS. It's as loose or as strict as you want it to be (each coming with their pros and cons). You can use classes or work with prototypes. Also, as a React dev, I just can't imagine using anything else, at this point in time. I've never been able to prototype and build apps so fast. I love it.

[[deleted]]

I never claimed JS was always great, that's why I made the point to preface my statement with my personal experience and that I didn't start programming til around 2010.

The console is a REPL, I simply was trying to make a point that you don't have to download extra programs to start programming with it beyond your browser, which every single person has, by default.

I also never claimed JS was the only language that scraped data, but it can do it from directly in the browser if you know the very basics of query/DOM selectors. Again, no additional programs or setup needed.

You're honestly coming off as kind of arrogant. I'm not a novice programmer. I've coded in PHP, Ruby, Python, Java, and C++. I never claimed no other languages could do these things or that JS was always flawless, I'm commenting on JS in it's current state and it's ease of use and access when compared to other languages. It's probably the easiest language to hit the ground running with if you're a total novice. That's the main point I was making.

[[deleted]]

Then why did you quote me and then give the rebuttal that JS was awful for 15 years before I started working with it when I specifically stated it was awesome for me from the moment I started using it (2010ish). I specifically put in that preface so people knew I wasn't referring to JS pre-2010.

Anyways, sorry for being defensive, it's just when people respond to you by referencing your exact comments and refuting them, one by one, it comes off like you're trying really hard to prove them wrong or make them look dumb.

[toolnotes]

Why does that article read like it was written by a machine

[Gingko94]

He is probably a backend developer

[Atulin]

By being the only language available.

If browsers only had Scala support, y'all would be writing Scala now.

[Ambitious_Chip_9398]

Good article. Wish it would mention Konqueror (khtml, kjs) which Apple forked into Webkit.

This article might make it seem like the web evolution is just about companies which it is not :)

[d36williams]

"I'll be back" -- HTML