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JavaScript JavaScript Basics (Retired) Introducing JavaScript Where Does JavaScript Go?

Oly Su
Oly Su
6,119 Points
Posted by Oly Su
Oly Su
6,119 Points

Why is JavaScript chosen to be the common programming language for browsers?

Hi all, just wondering how come JavaScript became the language used on most browsers today?

There are other languages too, but how did JavaScript came to be today?

Many thanks :)

3 Answers

Dave McFarland
STAFF
Dave McFarland
Treehouse Teacher
Dave McFarland
Dave McFarland
Treehouse Teacher

You can learn more about the origin and history of JavaScript in this interview with JavaScript's creator, Brendan Eich: http://devchat.tv/js-jabber/124-jsj-the-origin-of-javascript-with-brendan-eich

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

In the beginning there was Netscape and their marketing department. They wanted to add a few cool features to the Netscape Navigator so they Brendan Eich 10 days to throw something together. Then Internet Explorer wanted to compete with that. When Opera and later Firefox came along they wanted to compete so they added it as well.

Then AJAX was invented and suddenly every browser could be made to make cool apps.

Lonnie Wibberding
Lonnie Wibberding
18,318 Points
Lonnie Wibberding
Lonnie Wibberding
18,318 Points

The best and long explanation I've found is from this series of videos by Douglas Crockford of Yahoo.

http://yuiblog.com/crockford/

Short answer, it was originally used to do just a few things in the browser, but ended up filling a need. Crockford does a good job to explain the troubles and awesomeness of JavaScript.

Hope this helps . . .

rachaelhampton
rachaelhampton
3,352 Points

Link no longer works.

Steven Brown
Steven Brown
3,542 Points
Steven Brown
Steven Brown
3,542 Points

You can probably find most of the videos that use to be at that link on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/user/yuilibrary/search?query=javascript