What is JavaScript used for in 2021? Industries using JavaScript today

JavaScript-JavaScript everywhere. But let’s take a step back and understand what JavaScript is and why it is used so much (and where). In this blog post, let’s break down these common questions you might have.

What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is a programming language. It is one of the languages that is most commonly used on the web. You might have heard of JavaScript frameworks like Angular, React and Vue. These are all frameworks/libraries that you can use to build apps on the web.

But why use something like JavaScript if there are so many other programming languages that work equally well?

What makes JavaScript so special?

JavaScript is special because it is a programming language that works across different platforms, like a smartphone and a computer. This is super important. If you develop a web app, it needs to work on any and all devices that connect to the internet.

For example, if you develop a web app, and you want to use a computer to test it, you can test it on your own computer. Then, you can also test it on a smartphone or tablet. If you are developing a web app with HTML and CSS, you can only test it on a computer. But what if you want to use a smartphone or tablet to test the web app you are developing? With a web app that you develop with JavaScript, you can test it on a smartphone or tablet too.

Not only does JavaScript work with all devices, but it also works on all operating systems (OS) like Windows, Linux, and MacOS. The importance of JavaScript is that it works on all platforms, so as an application developer, you can use JavaScript to build an app for any device and distribute your work to billions of people online without requiring anyone to download or install anything apart from their regular browsers.

What is the difference between HTML and JavaScript?

HTML is the language that is used to design web pages. HTML stands for HyperText Markup Language. In HTML, you can design your web page and add content. HTML is a markup language (not a programming language).

JavaScript is a programming language that you can use to add functionality to a web page. For example, if you wanted to check the weather in a web app, you can use JavaScript to do that. With JavaScript, you can add a lot of functionality to a web page.

Another example, you can use JavaScript to create a web app that can access your camera and check out the picture that is in front of your camera and using a machine learning model (with the help of tensorflow or any ML library) determine what you’re looking at, all offline – without any data transfer to a remote server.

This cannot be done alone with HTML.

Where is JavaScript used?

You might be wondering if web is the only place JavaScript can be used. However, JavaScript has made its way to a lot of other industries too. Let’s look at a few of them:

Frontend web development – This includes websites and web apps. JavaScript in browsers have been present for a long long time.

Backend web development – This includes APIs and web servers. Node.js is the best example here.

Mobile app development – This includes both Android and iOS. React Native is the best example here.

Desktop app development – This includes Windows, OSX, and Linux. Electron.js powers a lot of popular apps – including VS Code, Slack and Discord.

Gaming – This includes both console and PC gaming. Dynamic 3D games are possible with JavaScript thanks to WebGL.

Internet of Things (IoT) – This includes everything from cars to coffee makers, can be powered with Node.js.

Rockets – SpaceX used Chromium for rendering UI on their Dragon Flight mission. So it is very well running outside of Earth as well.

Should you be learning JavaScript?

If you’re trying to get into web development (and in general programming), it is a good time to learn JavaScript.

It’s Everywhere – JavaScript is everywhere- It’s used in most modern applications. It’s the most popular programming language in the world. It’s the lingua franca (common language) of the web.

It’s Easy – JavaScript is easy to learn and easy to use. It is a dynamic programming language, so you write code that runs in the browser. It has a small set of core concepts, and you can learn it quickly.

It’s Powerful – JavaScript is a full-featured programming language, and it is available everywhere. It has a large ecosystem of libraries and frameworks.It is easy to use, so it is often the first choice for engineers new to a project.

It’s Cross-Platform – JavaScript is cross-platform. It is supported on almost every modern computing platform, including web browsers, mobile devices, desktop applications, and embedded systems.

Conclusion

If you were on the fence, I hope this blog post pushed you a little and helped you to decide that it is in fact a good time to be a JavaScript developer. It might not be your first programming language, but it is a great skill to have if you’re trying to become jack of all in the world of developers.