SEJARAH JAVASCRIPT

Summary

This video explores the history and development of JavaScript, starting with the creation of the Mosaic browser in 1992, followed by the development of Netscape Navigator. The video details how JavaScript emerged from Netscape's desire to enhance browser interactivity, the evolution from LiveScript to JavaScript, and the competition with Microsoft’s JScript. The standardization of JavaScript by ECMA in the late '90s, its rapid growth through the 2000s with the rise of AJAX, and its ongoing improvements in ES5, ES6, and ES7 are also covered. The video emphasizes the journey of JavaScript becoming a dominant language in web development.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mosaic was the first popular web browser developed by researchers at NCSA, University of Illinois, in 1992, supporting inline image display.
• 😀 Mosaic led to the creation of Netscape Navigator, which introduced new features such as the Blink tag and scripting capabilities.
• 😀 JavaScript originated as a scripting language called 'Mocha,' created by Brendan Eich at Netscape in just 10 days.
• 😀 Mocha was renamed to 'LiveScript' and later to 'JavaScript' as a marketing strategy to associate it with the popular Java programming language.
• 😀 Microsoft responded to JavaScript's success by creating its own version, called 'JScript,' which led to a competition with Netscape.
• 😀 Netscape attempted to standardize JavaScript through the W3C, but after a rejection, it turned to ECMA (European Computer Manufacturers Association) to create the official standard.
• 😀 JavaScript was standardized as 'ECMAScript' in 1996, and the name JavaScript became widely accepted despite some confusion about the various names.
• 😀 JavaScript's initial standard version, ECMAScript 1 (ES1), was released in 1997, followed by ES2 in 1998 and ES3 in 1999.
• 😀 JavaScript gained renewed popularity after the introduction of AJAX in 2005, which allowed for more interactive websites.
• 😀 ECMAScript 5 (ES5) was standardized in 2009, introducing new features and spawning the development of JavaScript frameworks like jQuery.
• 😀 The later versions, ECMAScript 6 (ES6) and ECMAScript 7 (ES7), introduced advanced features such as functional programming, higher-order functions, and immutability.

Q & A

What was the significance of the Mosaic browser in the history of web browsers?

The Mosaic browser, developed in 1992 by researchers at the NCSA, was the first widely popular web browser. It was notable for its ability to display images inline within web pages, which was a breakthrough at the time. This feature was not supported by other browsers that were based on Tim Berners-Lee's original World Wide Web specifications.

What role did Netscape play in the evolution of web browsers?

Netscape, founded by the creators of Mosaic, developed the Netscape Navigator browser, which was an improved version of Mosaic. Netscape introduced additional features such as the Blink tag, scripting support, and cookies, making it a more interactive and advanced browser compared to Mosaic.

Who created the JavaScript programming language, and why was it developed?

JavaScript was created by Brendan Eich, a systems engineer at Netscape. It was developed to add interactivity to web browsers. Eich was tasked with creating a scripting language similar to Java, which was popular at the time, but optimized for web browsers.

What was the original name of JavaScript, and why was it changed?

Initially, the scripting language developed by Brendan Eich was named 'Mocha'. It was later renamed to 'LiveScript' for marketing purposes, and eventually to 'JavaScript' to capitalize on the popularity of Java, even though JavaScript and Java are distinct languages.

How did Microsoft respond to the development of JavaScript?

Microsoft created its own version of JavaScript, called JScript, after reverse-engineering the language. They aimed to implement a similar scripting language in their Internet Explorer browser, which led to concerns at Netscape that JScript could become the new standard.

Why did Netscape push for JavaScript to be standardized, and who eventually standardized it?

Netscape pushed for JavaScript to be standardized so that it could be used across multiple web browsers. Initially, Netscape approached W3C for standardization, but it was rejected. Later, JavaScript was standardized by ECMA (European Computer Manufacturers Association), leading to the creation of ECMAScript.

What is the difference between JavaScript, JScript, and ECMAScript?

JavaScript, JScript, and ECMAScript are often confused but are essentially names for variations of the same scripting language. ECMAScript is the standardized version of the language, while JavaScript and JScript are proprietary implementations by Netscape and Microsoft, respectively.

What were the major milestones in the development of JavaScript after its standardization?

After JavaScript was standardized in 1996 as ECMAScript, several major versions were released, including ES3 in 1999, which became widely used. In 2009, ECMAScript 5 (ES5) introduced significant new features, followed by ECMAScript 6 (ES6) in 2015, which introduced concepts like functional programming, higher-order functions, and immutability.

What were some important technological advancements in JavaScript in 2005?

In 2005, the advent of AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) marked a significant advancement in JavaScript's popularity. AJAX allowed for more dynamic and interactive web applications, which contributed to the resurgence of JavaScript as a powerful tool for web development.

Why was ECMAScript 4 considered a failure, and what came after it?

ECMAScript 4 was considered a failure because it faced disagreements among browser vendors and lacked compatibility. As a result, the project was abandoned, and the development shifted to ECMAScript Harmony, which eventually resulted in ECMAScript 5 (ES5), a more compatible and widely adopted version of JavaScript.