Basic Features That Define JavaScript

Basic Features That Define JavaScript Programming Language | What does JS mean? You likely heard many people out there talking about JavaScript. Ever wondered what it is? We are going to have a detailed discussion about the features of JavaScript and its applications. 

JavaScript is a dynamic programming language for creating web applications, websites, video games, and many more. You can add dynamic features to your website that you couldn’t do with only HTML and CSS. There are a lot of JavaScript things to know.

Basic Features of JavaScript

Some of the factors that make JavaScript more fun to use are:-

  • Light weight language
  • Supports Dynamic Typing
  • Supports Object-Oriented Programming
  • Platform Independent
  • Prototype-based
  • Interpreted language
  • Asynchronous behavior
  • Controlled browser

1. Light-Weight Language

JavaScript was intended for web browsers which makes it a lightweight programming language. It has few libraries as it is not a general-purpose language. As it is a client-side language, its lightweight nature is a fantastic feature.

2. Dynamic Typing

JS is a dynamically typed language, meaning that the types of variables are established based on the value. A variable y will have the data type according to its value. 

To define a variable in JavaScript, we only need to use the var or let keyword before the variable name without bothering about the data type.

3. Supports OOP

The concepts of OOP are clarified more in JavaScript version ES6 than in its previous versions. Inheritance and Encapsulation are crucial OOP ideas used in JavaScript. Although this feature is available for everyone to analyze, JavaScript developers rarely use it.

4. Platform Independent

One of the features of JavaScript is that it is a platform-independent programming language, which means it can run on any computer regardless of the operating system. It is also possible to use JavaScript with HTML.

5. Prototype-Based

Prototypes are used in JavaScript rather than classes or inheritance. Classes are created first in programming languages like Java, and then objects are made for those classes but not in the case of JavaScript. We create an object prototype in JavaScript and then create other prototypes based on object prototypes.

6. Interpreted Language

The script inside JavaScript is processed line by line because it is an interpreted scripting language. The JavaScript interpreter interprets these scripts. 

7. Asynchronous Behavior

Promise is a feature of JavaScript that allows asynchronous requests eliminating the need for JavaScript to wait for a response, which can occasionally slow down the processing of a request. 

Async functions are now supported in JavaScript as well, starting with ES8. Async functions can run multiple events in parallel rather than sequentially, which results in less processing time.

8. More Browser Control

Since JS is a client-side language, as many of us may be aware, it has several capabilities that help developers divide processing between the browser and the server. It reduces the load on the server by having fundamental processing, validations, and temporary data saving using cookies on the browser itself.

JavaScript: Uses and Applications

JavaScript is used for the development of websites and mobile applications. Let’s have a sneak peek at some real-world uses of JavaScript.

  • Mobile Apps
  • Server Apps
  • Websites

1. Mobile Apps

One of the main applications of JavaScript includes mobile app development. With the popularity of mobile devices at an all-time high, JavaScript frameworks have been created to make the development of mobile apps for various operating systems, including iOS, Android, and Windows, easier. 

Building cross-platform mobile apps using the React Native framework enables programmers to use a single front end for Android and iOS platforms.

2. Server Apps

JavaScript is used for Server-side apps as well. Developers can build, test, and debug code for quick and scalable network applications. One of the main features of JavaScript is that it helps in content creation and to manage HTTP requests. 

Top businesses have used Node.js for server architecture, including Netflix, eBay, PayPal, Trello, and many others.

3. Website Development

The application of JavaScript also involves website development. JS enables programmers to create dynamic and interactive web pages that interact with users and carry out complicated actions. 

JavaScript enables you to add functionality to web pages so that they react to user input without having to load another page to handle requests. It lets the website communicate with users and carry out complicated operations.

Moreover, it allows users to add content to a document without refreshing the page. The majority of websites employ JavaScript for external application support and validation.

Google, YouTube, Facebook, Wikipedia, Yahoo, Amazon, and Twitter are well-known websites that use JavaScript.

Conclusion

JavaScript is a scripting language widely used by browsers to create dynamic online content. You are now familiar with the language and the functionalities that it offers. The upcoming versions will lead to several new JavaScript features, which will make it more fun to use.

Author Bio:

Taimoor is a Content Writer working at Clustox. He is HubSpot Content Marketing certified. He is enthusiastic about learning and educating about technology. He loves hiking. His hobbies include books and novels reading.

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