JavaScript
Around 95% percent of websites in the world uses JavaScript. JavaScript is by far the most used language according to Github’s 2020 Octoverse Report.
JavaScript is a client-side programming language which helps web developer to develop or create web applications and make dynamic and interactive web pages by implementing custom client-side scripts. There are many JavaScript Frameworks available in the market. Frameworks provide building blocks in the form of pre-written code. Instead of writing everything from scratch, we can simply use a framework and devote time in some other serious challenge. AngularJS, ReactJS, NodeJS, jQuery, Meteor, Express.js, Vue.js, Backbone.js, etc are some of the frameworks available. By using these frameworks, we can reduce the amount of time and efforts required for developing JS based sites and apps.
JavaScript in industries
Outside of browser there are a lot of companies using JavaScript. Some of them are:
Case study: PayPal
Online payment service PayPal swapped Java for node.js on its servers. It allowed them to serve web pages more rapidly and simplifying the creation of server-side software. Node.js is a platform built on Chrome’s JavaScript runtime that allows engineers to build fast and scalable network applications using JavaScript. Node.js is suited to creating data-intensive, real-time applications that run across distributed devices using its event driven, non-blocking I/O model.
“Node.js helps us by enabling both the browser and server applications to be written in JavaScript. It unifies our engineering specialties into one team which allows us to understand and react to our users’ needs at any level in the technology stack.” ~ Jeff Harrell, director of engineering at PayPal
Following are some conclusions regarding the development effort required for both apps:
In performance tests on production hardware the node.js application responded to requests on average 35 percent faster than the Java alternative, resulting in the same page being served 200ms faster. The image below shows comparison between Java and JavaScript for testing conducted by PayPal.
Some other companies using JavaScript are:
Uber
Uber needs to handle loads of data in real time. They have millions of requests coming in continuously, and that’s not just hits on a page. Uber needs to track driver locations, rider locations, and incoming ride requests. It has to seamlessly sort that data and match riders as fast as possible.
All of that plays to NodeJS’s and JavaScript’s strengths. Node is designed to handle requests and hand off data quickly. It’s asynchronous capabilities are a huge part of that. Node is central to Uber’s user facing stack for just that reason.
Netflix
Like PayPal, Netflix started out using Java for just about everything. They too ran into problems with Java’s size and the time it required to develop.
Over time, Netflix moved away from its more traditional structure into the cloud and started to introduce NodeJS. With Node, Netflix was able to break down pieces of their user interface into individual services. This more distributed approach was able to speed things up an alleviate stress on their servers. Today, a large portion of Netflix’s interface is running on Node.
Google’s search results that spring up as we type, get there with JavaScript. The Gmail web client and Docs also are powered by JavaScript.
Google developed Chrome. Chrome, being a web browser, needed a JavaScript engine, so Google also made V8. V8 not only powers Chrome, it’s at the heart of NodeJS. So, without Google, there would be no Node. They created and open sourced Angular which is a part of MEAN stack.
Walmart
Walmart, for there online business, started out with Java. It’s a solid enterprise-grade platform that has been the de facto choice for years. However, Walmart needed something faster and lighter weight for their mobile site. So, they turned to NodeJS.
These are only some examples of companies using JavaScript. Almost all of the web uses JavaScript, it is hard to find one which doesn’t uses it in some or other way.
Thank you for reading.