JavaScript is already 30 years old. From a 10-day prototype to the framework of the modern Internet
The story of the birth of JavaScript (JS) is almost cinematic. Working at Netscape, Brendan Eich put together the first version in an intense, 10-day marathon. The project was intended to be accessible from the beginning. Meaning? Easy enough for someone without many years of programming experience to understand itand at the same time flexible enough to allow for building various interaction mechanisms in a web browser.
Eich was inspired by, among others, Scheme (Lisp family) and the Self language, but the final result was a very pragmatic mix that quickly produced results on the screen.
The next part below the video:
At the same time, it was accompanied by a marketing paradox from the very first days. Eich wanted the name “Mocha”, Netscape chose “LiveScript” for a while, and ultimately “JavaScript” won – largely because Sun wanted to link the new language with the then fashionable Java (it is a separate programming language). Except from a technical point of view, they were completely different worlds.
A marketing trick that became a legend
This is aptly reflected in the comparison mentioned in one of the articles about the birth of JavaScript – “Java” and “JavaScript” have about as much in common as “car” (car) and “carpet” (carpet). At that time, Java was supposed to be a powerful tool for serious applications (corporations, enterprise-class business), and JavaScript was only a light supplement for minor tasks on the browser side.
Check also: Technology companies have a new requirement when recruiting. “Non-negotiable”
The greatest irony is that the Java web route turned out to be a dead end. Java applets, once promoted as a way to run browser-based applications, have virtually disappeared from the web while JavaScript has survived everything. Everything, i.e. changes in trends, browser war, subsequent fashions for their “successors”, as well as the own image of the language, which was supposedly only a toy of programmers.
Today, JavaScript is everywhere there is a browserand the browser has become a universal environment on the Internet. From websites and web applications to development tools and cloud solutions – we use browsers everywhere.
Read also: Is “learn to code” still good advice? Eight top managers respond
The power of standard and compatibility. Why JS doesn't disappear
How is it possible that JavaScript has stayed on the market for so long? The key is to combine three things:
- Starting places
- Standard
- Absolute compatibility
JavaScript was built in the basic product of the Internet era, the browser. This, in turn, meant that you didn't need to install anything to run it. The language later became an industry standard thanks to the ECMAScript specification, which helped tame chaos and provide a common reference point for the ecosystem. And at the same time, despite changes and expansion, the core has retained the principle that the new version should not spoil the old web. This continuity made it Code once written and skills once acquired are largely lostand in the IT world it is a powerful magnet for companies and programmers.
Why is this impressive? Because it is rare for something assembled in 10 days to become the global backbone of the technology on which modern communication, business and entertainment operate.
See also: The only person in the world who won against AI is a Pole
What's even more impressive is that JavaScript has not only survived the competition, but has also grown beyond its original purpose. From a language for simple browser scripts, it has become a platform for entire applications and services.
In the end, there is still symbolic dissonance. Alone the name “JavaScript” is still the subject of a trademark disputebecause the rights to it are to be owned by Oracle (after the Sun takeover), even though the community develops the language and standards, not the brand owner. This only highlights the paradox of this story. The language that was supposed to be an addition has become a market standard, developed by millions of people. JavaScript will stay with us for a long time.
Author: Grzegorz Kubera, journalist of Business Insider Polska
