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WEB SCRIPTING—JAVASCRIPT 3
JavaScript is essentially an interpreted programming language. It was initially built into web
browsers so that client-side scripts could communicate dynamically, control the browser, interact
with the user, and modify the contents of documents. These days, both the development of
desktop programmes and video games makes extensive use of JavaScript.
Brendan Eich at Netscape created JavaScript in 1995, and it was originally made available with
Netscape 2 in early 1996. To capitalise on the success of Sun Microsystem’s Java language, it was
originally known as LiveScript but was renamed as JavaScript. JavaScript’s use extends beyond
web pages to include desktop widgets, site-specific browsers, PDF documents, and other useful
applications.
3.1 REVIEW OF JAVASCRIPT
JavaScript is an object-oriented, cross-platform scripting language. Although it is not usable as a
standalone language, it can be easily embedded with other software and hardware, such as web
browsers. JavaScript can link to the objects of its environment inside a host environment and grant
programmatic control over those items.
Along with a basic collection of language components like operators, control structures, and
statements, core JavaScript also includes a core set of objects including Array, Date, and Math. By
adding more objects, core JavaScript can be enhanced for a number of uses:
Client-side: By providing objects to manage a browser’s Document Object Model (whether
it is Navigator or another web browser), JavaScript enhances the core language (DOM). An
application can, for instance, add items to an HTML form and react to user actions like mouse
clicks, form input, and page navigation using client-side extensions.
Server-side: By providing objects necessary for executing JavaScript on a server, JavaScript
expands the language’s base syntax. Server-side extensions, for instance, enable an application
to interact with a relational database, maintain information across application calls, or handle
file operations on a server.
The standardised version of JavaScript, known as ECMAScript, was created as a result of the effort
that followed Netscape’s announcement in November 1996 that it had submitted JavaScript to the
European Computer Manufacturers Association (ECMA) for consideration as an industry standard.
ECMA is a global organisation for information and communication system standards.
Web Scripting—JavaScript 179

