Why is JavaScript called a scripting language?

What is a Scripting language?

Md Jamal
ILLUMINATION
5 min readJul 19, 2023

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Why JavaScript is called scripting language?
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JavaScript is called a scripting language because it is a lightweight, interpreted, or just-in-time compiled programming language that can be embedded in web pages and run by web browsers. Scripting languages are designed for rapid development and dynamic execution of code, without the need for explicit compilation steps. JavaScript can also be used in other environments, such as Node.js, Apache CouchDB, and Adobe Acrobat.

Okay, let me try to simplify it. JavaScript is a language that you can use to make web pages more interactive and fun. You can write some instructions in JavaScript and put them on your web page. When someone visits your web page, their browser will read those instructions and do what you told it to do. For example, you can use JavaScript to make a button change color when you click on it, to show a pop-up message when you hover over an image, or to play a sound when you press a key. JavaScript is easy to use because you don’t have to install anything or set up anything. You just write some code and save it as a file with the extension .js. Then you link that file to your web page using the <script> tag. The browser will take care of the rest. JavaScript is also flexible because you can use it in different ways and for different purposes. You can use it on the web, but also on your computer, your phone, or even your smart watch. You can use it to create games, apps, websites, animations, and more. JavaScript is a scripting language because it is not like other languages that need to be translated into a different form before they can run. JavaScript can run as it is, without any extra steps. This makes it faster and easier to write and run code. JavaScript can also change itself while it is running, depending on what you want it to do. This makes it more dynamic and adaptable.

What is Scripting language?

A scripting language is like a set of instructions that you can give to a program or a website to make it do something different or more interesting. For example, you can use a scripting language to make a website show different pictures or messages depending on what the user clicks or types. You can write these instructions in a text file and save it with a special extension, like .js or .py. Then you can link that file to your program or website using a special tag, like <script>. The program or website will read your instructions and follow them when it runs. You don’t have to do anything else to make your instructions work. A scripting language is easy to use because you don’t have to learn a lot of rules or details about how the program or website works. You just have to know what you want it to do and how to write it in the scripting language. A scripting language is also flexible because you can change your instructions anytime and see the results right away. You can also use different scripting languages for different purposes and programs.

Scripting languages are different ways of telling a program or a website what to do. There are many kinds of scripting languages, but some of the ones that people use a lot are:

  • JavaScript: A scripting language that can make web pages more fun and interactive. It can also work on servers with Node.js.
  • PHP: A scripting language that can make web pages with HTML, talk to databases, and get information from users. Many people use it to make websites.
  • Python: A scripting language that is easy to read and write. It can be used to make websites, work with data, do things automatically, learn from data, and more.
  • Perl: A scripting language that is good for working with text, managing systems, making websites, and connecting to networks. It has many things built-in that can help you do different tasks.
  • Ruby: A scripting language that is nice and clear. It is often used to make websites with Ruby on Rails.
  • Bash: A scripting language that can run commands, control things, and do things automatically on systems like Unix. It is also called the shell or the command line.
  • R: A scripting language that can do math and graphics. It can change data, study data, show data, and make models. It has many things for different areas.
  • Lua: A scripting language that is fast, small, and can fit inside other programs. It can be used to change how programs work, like games, web servers, databases, and pictures.

Dynamic execution of Scripting language

Dynamic execution means that a program or a language can do things in a different or better way than they are written. This can make the program or the language faster and smarter, because it can skip some steps or do some steps earlier. Dynamic execution can use different ways to do this, such as:

Guessing where the program will go next: This means the program can think ahead and get ready for what it will do next, based on what it has done before or what it knows. For example, if the program has a choice to do one thing or another thing, it can try to guess which one it will do and get ready for that one.

Looking at the data that the program needs or makes: This means the program can find the best way to do things, based on what data it has or what data it will get. For example, if some things need the data from another thing, they have to wait until that thing is done. But if some things don’t need the data from another thing, they can do them at the same time or before.

Doing some things that might not be needed: This means the program can do some things earlier, based on its guesses or thoughts. For example, if the program guesses that it will do one thing, it can do that thing before it is sure. If the guess is right, the program saves time. If the guess is wrong, the program forgets that thing and does the right thing.

Wrap-Up

JavaScript is a scripting language that can control or change web pages and web servers. It is interpreted, which means it can run as it is, without any extra steps. It can also use dynamic execution, which means it can run some instructions in a different or better way than they are written. JavaScript can make web pages and web servers more fun and interactive by using guessing, looking, and doing methods.

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