Introduction to JavaScript

JavaScript(JS) is lightweight interpretive high-level programming language. Invented by Brendan Eich, it was first released in December 1995. Today it is the most popular language used on the web (and the world too)¹. JavaScript should not be confused with Java. The name JavaScript was adopted in order to popularize the language since Java was already known at that time.

Initial name:	LiveScript
Official name:	ECMAScript
Inventor:	Brendan Eich
Date released:	December, 1995

JavaScript can be used to write browser-centric(client-side) and server-centric(server-side) scripts, that is scripts which run on the browser and on the server respectively. And so JavaScript is both a client-side and server-side programming language. Node.js is a server-side implementation of JS.

Some uses of client-side JavaScript

1. To dynamically manipulate elements(structural and presentational elements) on a web page.
2. To create and manage web cookies.
3. To validate data input in a form.
4. To react to user events.

Some limitations of client-side JavaScript

1. It can be blocked or disabled by a user. Once this is done your script won't execute.
2. It cannot be used to read or write data on a user's operating system. So by implication you cannot read or write data to a file or database. This is for security reasons.

Bibliography

1. https://insights.stackoverflow.com/survey/2018/#technology-programming-scripting-and-markup-languages
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript