Javascript  

JavaScript has grown way beyond its original role of just adding interactivity to websites. Nowadays, it's at the center of a big mix of tools that developers use to build websites and apps. This mix includes new languages that work with JavaScript to make coding easier and more powerful, as well as frameworks - tools that help organize and speed up the development of projects. On top of that, we have runtime engines like Node.js and Deno, which have been game-changers. They let developers use JavaScript to build things that run outside of web browsers, like on servers, making JavaScript even more versatile. Together, these languages, frameworks, and runtime engines are key parts of modern web development. They each play a different role but work together to make building digital stuff faster and smarter. As we dive into what each part does, we'll see why JavaScript is such a big deal in the tech world and why understanding these parts matters for anyone getting into web development.

• Languages Based on/Compiling to JavaScript
• JavaScript Frameworks
• Runtime Engine

Languages Based on/Compiling to JavaScript

In the world of web development, there's a cool trend where new programming languages are created to make JavaScript even better. These languages, like TypeScript and CoffeeScript, add new features or make coding simpler and neater. Think of them as upgrades to JavaScript; they let developers do more with less hassle. For example, TypeScript helps catch mistakes early by checking types, which can save a lot of headaches later. And CoffeeScript lets you write code that's easier to read and write. What's great is that even though these languages add new stuff, they still turn into regular JavaScript in the end. This means you can use them to create web apps that run anywhere JavaScript does. It's like having the best of both worlds: new, helpful features with the wide reach of JavaScript. This approach is changing the game, making it easier to build complex and high-quality websites and apps.

• TypeScript: Developed by Microsoft, it's a superset of JavaScript that adds static types. TypeScript is designed to develop large applications and transcompiles to JavaScript.
• CoffeeScript: A language that compiles into JavaScript, offering a more concise syntax, aimed at improving readability and brevity. It introduces features like list comprehension and pattern matching that are not present in traditional JavaScript.
• Dart: Initially designed to be a replacement for JavaScript, Dart is an object-oriented, class-defined language developed by Google. It can compile to JavaScript using the Dart2Js transpiler, allowing Dart code to run in browsers.
• Elm: A functional language that compiles to JavaScript, focusing on simplicity and quality tooling. Elm is known for its friendly error messages and is used for creating web applications.
• PureScript: A strongly-typed, purely functional programming language that compiles to JavaScript. It's inspired by Haskell and aims to allow developers to write expressive and concise code.
• ClojureScript: A compiler for Clojure that targets JavaScript. It provides the power of Clojure (an expressive, functional programming language) combined with the extensive JavaScript ecosystem.
• ReasonML: Now known as ReScript, it's a new syntax and toolchain powered by the OCaml language. It offers a functional programming style with JavaScript-like syntax and compiles to highly performant JavaScript.
• Kotlin/JS: Kotlin is a statically typed language developed by JetBrains, known for running on the JVM. Kotlin/JS is a subset of Kotlin that compiles to JavaScript, allowing developers to write front-end web applications.

JavaScript Frameworks

Frameworks are not new languages but are built on top of JavaScript to provide libraries and architectures for building applications more efficiently. JavaScript frameworks are like toolkits for building websites and web applications more efficiently and effectively. They provide pre-written code and structures for common tasks, which means developers can focus on the unique aspects of their projects instead of reinventing the wheel for things like handling user inputs or updating the display. Frameworks like React, Vue.js, and Angular offer a range of features that make it easier to create interactive, responsive, and complex applications without getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of pure JavaScript coding. By adopting a JavaScript framework, developers can speed up the development process, ensure their applications are more reliable, and keep their code organized and maintainable. In short, these frameworks are power-ups for web development, helping bring creative ideas to life on the internet more smoothly.

Some of the most popular JavaScript frameworks include:

• React: Developed by Facebook, it's a declarative, efficient, and flexible JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
• Vue.js: A progressive framework for building user interfaces, designed to be incrementally adoptable.
• Angular: A platform and framework for building single-page client applications using HTML and TypeScript. Developed by Google.
• Svelte: A newer framework that shifts much of the work to compile time, producing highly optimized vanilla JavaScript at the end.
• Next.js: A React framework for production, it enables functionalities like server-side rendering and generating static websites for React-based web applications.
• Nuxt.js: An intuitive Vue framework that simplifies the development of powerful applications quickly through server-side rendering, routing, and more.

Runtime Engine

Runtime engines are the powerhouses that make it possible for JavaScript code to come to life outside the traditional web browser environment. Essentially, they're the platforms where your JavaScript code runs, taking care of all the behind-the-scenes work needed to execute the code. For example, Node.js and Deno are two popular runtime engines that have expanded JavaScript's reach to server-side programming, allowing developers to use JavaScript for building everything from websites to complex applications that run on servers, not just in browsers. These engines do a lot of heavy lifting, handling tasks like reading files, making network requests, and more, all while keeping performance smooth. By providing a way to run JavaScript in various environments, runtime engines open up a whole new world of possibilities for what developers can create with JavaScript, breaking down the barriers between front-end and back-end development and making it easier to build and deploy full-scale applications with a single programming language.

• Node.js: An open-source, cross-platform runtime environment for executing JavaScript code server-side, built on Chrome's V8 JavaScript engine. It's designed for building scalable network applications and allows JavaScript to be used for server-side scripting.
• Deno: A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript, built on the V8 JavaScript engine and the Rust programming language. It addresses some of Node.js's limitations, featuring built-in support for TypeScript and a more secure default setting.
• SpiderMonkey: Mozilla's JavaScript engine, used in the Firefox web browser. It can be embedded in applications to provide scripting capabilities and is used in various Mozilla projects.
• JavaScriptCore (JSC): The JavaScript engine for Safari, developed by Apple. It's part of the WebKit project and can be used in native iOS applications through WebKit views, providing a way to use JavaScript in iOS development.
• V8: Google's open-source JavaScript engine, used in Chrome and Node.js. It can be embedded into any C++ application, providing a powerful engine for executing JavaScript code in various contexts outside the browser.
• ChakraCore: The core part of the Chakra JavaScript engine originally developed by Microsoft for the Edge browser. Although development has slowed, it remains open-source and can be embedded in applications for JavaScript scripting capabilities.
• QuickJS: A small, fast, and embeddable JavaScript engine created by Fabrice Bellard. It supports the full JavaScript language and is suitable for embedding in small applications and IoT devices, where a lightweight engine is beneficial.