Ubiquitous JavaScript

history and evolution

TunJS

by Nader TOUKABRI ( @naderbri ) for Tunis JavaScript Meetup Group ( @TunJS )

A bit of history?

JavaScript

  • Developed by Brendan Eich at Netscape on 1995
  • Microsoft implements JScript, a JS-clone, on 1996
  • ECMA for standardization
  • ECMAScript 3rd edition on 1999
  • AJAX on 2005
  • JSON on 2006
  • ECMAScript 4th edition on 2008: abandoned
  • "JavaScript: The Good Parts" by Douglas Crockford on 2008
  • ECMAScript 5th edition on 2009: the current version

Current Status

  • rules the client-side
  • emerging in server-side

Properties

  • interpreted
  • dynamic
  • loosely typed
  • everything is an object
  • first-class functions

Troubles .. a lot

  • Designed in a hurry
  • Unsuitable names: LiveScript, JavaScript, ECMAScript!
  • Canceled edition for lack of consensus (4th)
  • Mistaken as Java dialect
  • ...

Still there is good parts

  • Fast!
  • Prototypal inheritance
  • Closures

TunJS: What to focus on?

  • The programming language
    • Coding style
    • Best practices
    • Testing
    • JS.next: ECMAScript Harmony (6th edition)
  • JS in client-side
  • JS in server-side

TunJS: What to focus on?

Q/A

Thank you!

@naderbri / @TunJS