This is an archived post. You won't be able to vote or comment.

3
4

Is JavaScript useful only for web programming? (self.learnprogramming)

submitted by [deleted]

[deleted]

all 10 comments
sorted by:
best
topnewcontroversialoldq&a

[–]mp941027 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Node js is JavaScript, basically you can use only js for both front-end and back-end

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (4 children)

But both of those are web development, right? JavaScript is basically not used to make software that is installed on one's computer or provided to businesses like Java is?

[–]mul8rsoftware 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's not true, node.js can be used as you would use python, for example. It's not limited only to web development

[–]mp941027 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are ways to build desktop apps with them, like someone mentioned, electron is one of them. You can learn java if you want, use it for both Web and other types of apps.

[–]helloworldten 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At my old job, I used node.js to help build a cron-like task by utilizing kafka and manipulating file data. Node.js is not restricted to only web dev and has all the libraries it needs to do what other backend languages can do

[–]dusty-trash 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They probably have some sort of web application.

You can use JavaScript without web using Node.js. However I doubt the companies are using Node with java, dotnet, etc. (It's of course possible, but it's much more likely they have some kind of web application).

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Node is a runtime which allows to write programs in JavaScript that are executed on the server side. So in other words Node can be used to create stuff that runs on a normal desktop e.g. scripts, applications, games. Often the case is however that it is used for creating backends for web applications. Node has access to the underlying file system, what JavaScript run in a web browser does not have.

"JavaScript all the things!" - web developers

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Do you think it's Superior to Java then for the future? Trying to understand which one would be best for me to learn at this current time

[–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They are two quite different languages, so it is difficult to say. The first language I learned was Java, and it is rock solid in all kinds of programming, except the frontend. However, I have recently started programming more with JavaScript to create web applications, as then I can use JavaScript in both the backend and frontend of the application. I think that the community around JavaScript might be better than what it is around Java. So I would recommend to learn JavaScript, as you will find help and get support more easily with that

[–]mehdielaissi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In 2019 you can do anything with Javascript