Technical Blog 3

Is JavaScript the future of programming? Perhaps. It's (relatively) easy to learn, powerful and works well on most browser platforms. Without it, interactivity on the web would be almost non-existent. It's syntax and structural elements are not shrouded in the mysteries of compiled languages like C. This means developers don't have to worry about packing a lot of more primitive code (that is, more machine-friendly than people-friendly), and then unpacking it.

From its humble beginnings as what many deemed a "hobby language" coasting on the popularity of the Java programming language (no relation), it's now become an industry standard. JavaScript has evoloved and changed to suit new technologies, even growing beyond a strictly client-side language that lives on your computer. With the advent of AJAX and Node.js, Javascript can now make the journey to the server and back. With "libraries" full of useful functions like jQuery, making a functional site is becoming even easier.

Javascript has changed a lot since its early days, but in the words of one blogger it's picked up a lot of "scars on the way." One debate that still seems to be raging is whether JavaScript is truly an "Object Oriented" language. Sure, it has objects, but some quirks in the syntactic anatomy of the language can make for some pretty strange behavior that isn't necessarily consistent with the lego-like structure of a true object oriented language like Ruby.

There are others that argue that the ease of learning and use are more of a con than a pro, leading to the standardization of less-than-ideal programming practices. Many experienced developers find JavaScript too limiting. It was created to be used for lightweight applications, and is now doing heavy lifting that might be better suited to a more in-depth language.

One of the most interesting things I found in researching this blogpost is just how INTENSE the debate is regarding JavaScript. There are those who think it will be the only language we use to manipulate the web in the future, and there are others who would like to see it die in a fire. Either way, the takeaway for me is no matter how annoying or buggy or incoherent you might find a language, once it becomes part of the web's "canon" of classics, you've got to learn it, and make your peace.

JavaScript and Web Development

The Good

Further Reading

The Bad

Further Reading

The "Wat"