JavaScript Can Not Win

I read a story over on Hackernoon by Jonny Asmar — Javascript Has Already Won. The premise is that Node.js and JavaScript have become so far reaching that it has won out over other programming languages.

Unfortunately, this entire line of thinking is nonsense. Not because JavaScript can’t do all the things claimed, but because there is nothing to win. JavaScript can not win, because there is no contest. JavaScript can not win, because there is nothing to win.

JavaScript can not win, because there is nothing to win.

JavaScript has been around since 1995. Other notable programming languages of the 90’s include Haskell (1990), Python & Visual Basic (1991), Ruby (1993), and both Java & PHP (1995). According to the TIOBE Index, both Java and Python exceed JavaScript in this survey’s index of popularity. And, even venerable old C, released way back in 1972, is experiencing more rapid growth than JavaScript.

But, so what? So, nothing. That’s the point. If we keep looking at the TIOBE Index, such languages as COBOL (#24), Fortran (#33), and Prolog (#41) still make the rankings — and, those former two are from the later 1950s. So, what exactly has JavaScript won? Nothing. Because there is nothing to win.