Huge changes in JavaScript role and development of Web technology

JavaScript was once an obscure scripting language for professional programmers. Currently, only senior programmers can control it. The overwhelming nature and status of JavaScript confirm the rapid changes in Web technology. At first, professional programmers despised JavaScript and thought it was a real developer language like C and Java... SyntaxHighlighter. al

JavaScript was once an obscure scripting language for professional programmers. Currently, only senior programmers can control it.

The overwhelming nature and status of JavaScript confirm the rapid changes in Web technology.

At first, professional programmers despised JavaScript and thought it was just a Script Kids toy compared to the real development languages C and Java. At that time, the Internet had just evolved from providing static information to interacting with users. JavaScript only performs a running role, checks user input, prompts the user information, and performs four arithmetic operations. Or it is used for toys, displaying floating images, changing the font size and color, enrich the mouse effect. In everyone's impression, JavaScript is a syntax that belongs to the C style and is not so strict with the format. All you can do is add an auxiliary language for page and user interaction.

Later, Web development became popular with the development of ASP, Java, and PHP, but development was mainly concentrated on the server side. Simply put, it was the addition of business logic and database operations. The role of JavaScript has also been developed. To simulate traditional client applications, it provides richer functions and friendly operations, such as simulating multi-level menus, directory trees, and multi-tab tables, javaScript operations on DOM APIs are indispensable. Client Applications gradually have no advantages in functionality. the disadvantages of installation, upgrade, and maintenance make them and Web applications grow apart.

There are three more factors that make Web applications mainstream.

One is the technical reason, that is, the release and popularization of Ajax, which greatly improves the user experience of Web applications, because it not only eliminates the annoying process of submitting pages-blank-re-display, but also greatly enriches the possibility of interaction between users and systems-the page is no longer a whole, each part can display independent information, which is updated according to the various input changes of the user's mouse and keyboard.

The second reason is the design. The interfaces of traditional client applications comply with certain rules like codes. The menu bar, toolbar, and main interface are restricted to a set of standard controls, such as text box, single sheet, and drop-down box. The interface of the application should be standardized in this way, just as the computer should have a host, a display, and a keyboard. This idea is partly because programmers are not designers, and they are more concerned with code correctness and system performance than beautiful interfaces. Designers can use graphic software to draw distinctive and nice designs, however, on the one hand, the interface is developed along with functions, and designers do not have the corresponding knowledge and skills to integrate their design into the program, on the other hand, whether it is VB, Dephi or VC, it is very difficult to compile a set of imaginary display and user operations into a new control. Web development is quite different. The page and background programs are naturally separated, and can be completely separated from the foreground programs as long as they are well designed. Designers only need to master HTML and CSS and can use various page design software to design interfaces that programmers can use. On the other hand, it is easier to use HTML + CSS + JavaScript to create an intuitive and easy-to-use "control. As a result, the beautiful and exquisite interface and user-friendly user experience spring up. Web applications quickly surpass client programs on the interface, and gain advantages in appearance. Some time ago, it was common to develop a Web system to simulate the interface of a classic Client Program (menu bar, toolbar, and main interface). However, the current desktop application program, what we often learn is the beautiful Web application interface and simple operations. The student has surpassed the teacher.

The third reason is both technical and cultural. The front-end of a Web application, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, is open. Anyone who is interested can view, study, learn, test, and edit it. This is very different from client programs that are invisible to traditional code. The open Internet culture also complements the Open Source spirit. The endless stream of interface design and programming concepts can be presented on the huge Internet platform and compete with each other. After practice, the winners are quickly learned and spread. Such a benign competitive platform makes Web technology much faster than desktop applications.

In this context, the potential of JavaScript has been fully realized. We found that it is inherently suitable for front-end Web development, which is an increasingly complex and important part of Web applications. JavaScript becomes the pillar of building rich user interfaces to implement exquisite functions. As the number of tasks increases, the length of JavaScript scripts increases rapidly. Public functions are provided to demonstrate best practices. As a result, a large number of script libraries for setting the entire application framework are emerging and are changing with each passing day. Prototype, jQuery, dojo, YUI, Knockout, AngularJS ...... Dazzling. The essence of JavaScript Dynamic Language and the prototype object mechanism allow the same function to be completed. The amount of code required is much less than the static class-based inherited language, such as Java. However, there is a lack of syntax check during editing. The browser is an unfriendly development environment, which makes it easy to develop complex functions with JavaScript, or in other words, it requires the programmer to be more meticulous. The features of the JavaScript language itself (functions are the first type of objects, the declaration of anonymous functions, and the original definition of objects) provide both the possibility of writing exquisite and elegant code, different implementation methods and styles require developers to have a better understanding of the language and a clear idea.

Finally, JavaScript has evolved into a mainstream language, which is attractive and challenging and can only be fully controlled by experts.