JavaScript is one of the top-used web programming languages right now, and as a client-side programming language it’s used by 97.1% of all websites. Almost every web developer or designer needs to understand JavaScript and its application in, not only front-end, but back-end web development. As one of the universal scripting languages on the web and for the web, this article will discuss various uses and applications for JavaScript as a scripting language.
JavaScript is used alongside HTML and CSS, the latter two determines the layout and style of content on webpages, everything from how paragraphs are set, text, headings, embedding video and audio, and applying colors and fonts; JavaScript adds the next step to content and elements on a webpage by making it more interactive, dynamic, and user-friendly.
What You Can Do With JavaScript
JavaScript gives life to a webpage and enhances its functionality. It controls all the elements that reload, refreshes, or moves on the screen without the user needing to manually refresh the webpage. It includes various elements like interactive forms, autocomplete suggestions, animated graphics, and more.
Website Development
Although JavaScript mostly applies to front-end, or client-side, web development, it can also be used in back-end, or server-side, web development. Front-end focuses on all the elements that the web visitor interacts with while the server-side focuses on the functions related to the server.
JavaScript is applied by using specified code onto the HTML page of the website and can be learned fairly quickly with enough practice. There are various online resources that offer interactive tests, of these is JSBeginners, which offer over 100 JavaScript projects, suitable for beginner to intermediate skill levels.
The projects range from small to medium-sized with a video tutorial for assistance, however each project requires the user to do the coding themselves in order to develop and apply their understanding. Some of the beginner JavaScript projects include the ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ game where users can make a simple interactive game played against the computer, the ‘Circle Click’ consists of various circles that the user has 1 second to click on and score, the ‘Random User API’ is a JavaScript AJAX project that finds a user’s information and outputs their data in the DOM, and the ‘Random Joke’ project consists of retrieving a random Chuck Norris joke.
Some of the intermediate JavaScript projects include the ‘Hangman App’ allowing users to make a puzzle based on the Hangman game, this includes the JavaScript Fetch API, which finds puzzle pieces from the designated API endpoint, and the ‘Notes App’ allows users to keep various notes and make edits, which are stored locally.
Website and Mobile Applications
Apart from developing websites, JavaScript is also used to design web and mobile applications. With mobile devices widely-used right now, around 3.5 billion use smartphones, it’s no surprise that mobile apps are a staple part of the mobile user experience. Mobile apps are either compatible with Android or Apple and the programs used to develop apps will be different. jQuery is a popular JavaScript framework for mobile apps, providing fast loading times and compatibility with Android, Windows, iOS, and Blackberry. Other frameworks include React Native and Native Script.
Web Browser Games
Web browser games are games played via the World Wide Web, which requires standard web-based technologies or browser plug-ins, which are software tools to enhance the functionality within the browser, these all have specific purposes. Games played via web browsers have become increasingly popular with improved performance, and JavaScript is just one API (Application Programming Interface) used to create games.
Server Applications
In addition to web applications, JavaScript is used to develop server applications; NodeJS is a popular application runtime that facilitates the use of JavaScript. Used for back-end web development it allows the functionality of the operating system and file systems. What makes it more popular than other tools is the speed and in-depth exchange of data.
Summary
When considering JavaScript as a web developer’s tool, from website development to web games and applications, there are many more avenues to go into to apply its uses, some of these range from digital art projects, smartwatch apps, and robotics.