freeCodeCamp/guide/english/javascript/index.md

---
title: JavaScript
---

Creaed by Brendan Eich in May of 1995, JavaScript is the most widely used scripting language on earth and has the largest library ecosystem of any programming language. It is the core language of the web, and the only programming language that can run in all major web browsers.

By definition, JavaScript is an high-level iterpreted language. This means it is highly abstracted from the computer, it is easy to use, and it doesn't need to compile in order to execute because it is interpreted at the runtime.

JavaScript is the core language of the web and the only programming language that can run in all major web browsers.

Notably, JavaScript has no relation to Java. [JavaScript: The World's Most Misunderstood Programming Language](http://www.crockford.com/javascript/javascript.html) by Douglas Crockford explains more about what Javascript is and how it is not related to Java.

The official name of JavaScript is ECMAScript defined under Standard [ECMA-262](https://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-262.htm) ECMAScript 6th edition (ES6) added "significant new syntax for writing complex applications, including classes and modules" (Wikipedia) including arrow functions and promises.

If you want to learn more about the JavaScript language, and why it's so widely used, read Quincy Larson's article - [Which programming language should I learn first?](https://medium.freecodecamp.org/what-programming-language-should-i-learn-first-%CA%87d%C4%B1%C9%B9%C9%94s%C9%90%CA%8C%C9%90%C9%BE-%C9%B9%C7%9D%CA%8Dsu%C9%90-19a33b0a467d) -
or watch this [inspiring video from Preethi Kasireddy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqiEhZYmvKk). Or else you can watch this [commendable video by Matt Hippely about the history of JavaScript and up to date with modern JavaScript practices.](https://youtu.be/CseCDFed458)

## A Short History of JavaScript
<h3>1996:</h3> 
<p>It changed from LIVESCRIPT to JAVASCRIPT to attract developers.<br>
    *JavaScript has nothing to do with Java.</p>
<h3>1997:</h3> 
<p>JAVASCRIPT was sold to ECMA and become,<br> 
    the first version of JAVASCRIPT Language Standerd.</p>
<h3>2009:</h3> 
    <p>ES5 (ECMASCRIPT 5) was released with lots of new features.</p>
<h3>2015:</h3>
<p>It changed to annual realease cycle,<br> 
   It means JAVASCRIPT releases new Updates every year.<br>
   (With small feature Updates.)</p>
<h3>2016/ 2017/18/19:</h3>
   <p>Releases of versions - ES2016/ ES2017/ ES2018/....</p>

## Standalone JavaScript engines
A standalone engine is a program which executes code without having to use any other sources for execution. In this case, it executes JavaScript. Most browsers have their own way of dealing with JavaScript.

Mozilla's SpiderMonkey, the first JavaScript engine ever written, currently used in Mozilla Firefox.
V8, Google's JavaScript engine, used in Google Chrome.

Google Apps Script, a cloud-based/server-side interpreter that provides programmatic "macro-like" control of Google Apps services and documents.

Node.js, built on top of Google Chrome's JavaScript V8 Engine, a platform which enables server-side applications to be written in JavaScript.

Windows includes JScript, a JavaScript variant in Windows Script Host.

Chakra, a fork of JScript, is developed by Microsoft and used in their Edge browser.

Mozilla also offers Rhino, an implementation of JavaScript built in Java, typically embedded into Java applications to provide scripting to end users.

WebKit (except for the Chromium project) implements the JavaScriptCore engine.

## JavaScript Frameworks

Most frequently used JavaScript [Frameworks](https://skillcrush.com/2018/07/23/what-is-a-javascript-framework/) are React JS, Angular JS, Create JS, jQuery, nodeJS etc. 
For details, follow this [link](https://javascriptreport.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-javascript-frameworks/).

#### More Information

[MDN Docs](https://developer.mozilla.org/bm/docs/Web/JavaScript)