A Brief History of JavaScript

a history of the javascript coding language

JavaScript is arguably the most important programming language in the world. Google, YouTube, Wikipedia, Yahoo!, Amazon, Facebook, eBay, LinkedIn, and Twitter have all been built using JavaScript. Virtually everything a user directly interacts with on these websites has been made with JavaScript. 

There’s no question about it: becoming a JavaScript programmer is one of the best career choices you can possibly make in 2020. So how do you start learning it in San Diego? Are there any other languages that go well with it? What are the Ruby on Rails vs JavaScript pros and cons? Should JavaScript be used together with Ruby? 

Before you truly dive into the technical side of coding, it’s important to get an understanding of how JavaScript was first introduced, and how it became the programming powerhouse it is today. Read on to learn more.

Table of Contents:

Who introduced JavaScript?

Brendan Eich created JavaScript in 1995 while he was at Netscape Communications Corporation, the creators of the legendary Netscape Navigator web browser. At the time, the Java coding language was rapidly gaining traction and Netscape Communications was working to make it available in Netscape Communicator.

However, Java was too large and too complex to appeal to amateurs, scripters, and designers. In order to solve this problem, Netscape Communications contracted Brendan Eich to design a versatile programming language that could speed up web development and serve as a scripting companion for Java. 

And yet, instead of being just a Scheme for Netscape Navigator, JavaScript went on to become something much bigger.

What was JavaScript originally called?

The early versions of JavaScript were called Mocha. Not long after a Mocha prototype was introduced into Netscape Communicator (May 1995), it was renamed to LiveScript, purely because the world Live was better for marketing. It was renamed again in December of the same year, this time into JavaScript.

This first version of JavaScript defined the many great traits (such as its object-model) this coding language is known for today. It also boasted a number of powerful features that would eventually enable it to outgrow its original purpose.

These features include:

  • First-class object functions
  • Syntax that is similar to Java
  • Prototype-based object model

Why was JavaScript created?

Back in 1995, Netscape Communicator (a paid internet browser) was by far the most popular web browser in the world. The founder of Netscape Communications, Marc Andreeseen, wanted to make the web more dynamic by making animations, user interaction, and other types of automation a standard part of any website. 

He also knew that Microsoft was hard at work on their own browser, Internet Explorer, and wanted to make Netscape Communicator more attractive to developers by equipping it with both an enterprise-level coding language (Java) and a smaller scripting language (JavaScript).

While this plan didn’t stop Microsoft from taking over the web browser market and driving Netscape Communications out of business, JavaScript nonetheless managed to escape its “walled garden” roots.

Where can I learn JavaScript in San Diego?

Whether you want to start a career as a front-end developer or wish to use your coding skills to help others, you can’t go wrong by reaching out to Learn Academy. 

Our intensive bootcamps will teach you everything you need to become a full-stack programmer in only four months. You’ll learn how to be both a front-end and back-end coder, understand the crucial Ruby on Rails vs Javascript differences, and even get an actual internship at a successful San Diego company. 

Want to know more? If so, don’t hesitate to book a free tour of our premises in East Village. We can’t wait to meet you.

Related Posts