The Most Used Web Technology
The importance of JavaScript as a web technology and development skill set cannot be underestimated. Every modern business needs a well-crafted website in order to attract customers and establish their expertise, and the most popular interactive web development tool is JavaScript. The Web Technologies Surveys group recently estimated that JavaScript is used by more than 95% of websites in the world and this trend shows no signs of abating anytime soon. Regardless of whether a company wants to handle all development tasks in-house, or is interested in outsourcing work to a JavaScript development service, this programming language should be integrated into the firm’s next website redesign or mobile application launch.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages in use today and is most commonly used to create interactive website content. While traditional webpages consisted of static content such as photographs and text, JavaScript-built web pages are truly dynamic–they allow websites to include moving graphics, automatic slideshows, and the much-loved autocomplete text suggestions that predict search queries and prevent users from making major spelling mistakes. This programming language is supported by almost all popular web browsers, including Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera.
JavaScript is the third of the basic components that make up standard web pages. HyperText Markup Language, popularly known as HTML, provides the basic structure and content of a particular page, including the text and graphics. The Cascading Style Sheets, or CSS, on the other hand, is used to control the look of the page, it structures the colors, fonts, and placement of everything included.
JavaScript, on the other hand, is responsible for creating the beautifully crafted and interactive websites that consumers have come to expect today. For example, www.visithumboldt.com is a website that successfully used JavaScript, its homepage features a movie that takes visitors through the most beautiful natural landscapes found in the region. These interactive features help differentiate companies and their websites from the competition, and increase the time that each visitor spends on the website–frequently leading to increased sales.
The versatility of JavaScript, combined with the expectations of modern consumers, has lead to widespread adoption of the programming language and technology by websites across the world, and has also lead to a rise in the number of JavaScript development services. In addition, the demand for experienced JavaScript developers has continued to rise through 2018. CIO Magazine found that 29% of technology openings requested experience in Javascript from applicants. They also noted that “Those who are proficient in, say React or Azure,” two prominent JavaScript frameworks, “are likely to find great job opportunities that didn’t exist two years ago.”
Why JavaScript is Essential for Tech Development
It’s Everywhere
The main reason why the JavaScript framework is essential for modern businesses of all sizes is its widespread use. This client-side programming language is responsible for producing nearly all of the most user-friendly and interactive websites found online today. Customer expectations have grown as technology has improved, and the consumer of today expects more than a simple static website. They want to be able to expand product details, rapidly click through a slideshow, and even zoom in on an image without refreshing the page or being redirected to a new link.
Netflix may just be the greatest example of a website that has integrated JavaScript into every aspect of their online service. When customers load their personalized main page, they are presented with a wide array of movies and television shows that they can watch. Netflix.com customized the user experience and separated themselves from their competition by integrating interactive JavaScript programming into every viewing option. When a user moves their cursor over a movie title, the top of the page instantly begins playing a preview of the show. This type of carefully-placed interaction is key to creating an online brand.
Incredible Versatility
For the small business or startup owner interested in building their company’s website or first mobile application, JavaScript is likely the best programming language for the job by far. One of the greatest benefits that the language offers is that it can be used to code both the back-end and the front-end, a tremendous advantage for companies with limited development staff. The versatility of JavaScript allows these startups to use a single programming language for their initial app development, enabling their team to bring a testable minimum viable product to market as soon as possible.
In addition, the learning curve is incredibly small with JavaScript, it is often viewed as one of the easiest programming languages to learn. This allows companies to hire experienced developers at a much lower cost than engineers who specialize in more difficult programming languages like C++ and Python. Lastly, the ability to use the same language on both the front-end and the back-end helps reduce the sheer number of lines of code, decreasing the number of mistakes and making the QA testing portion of the development cycle much less challenging.
Offline Application Support
One of the most frustrating experiences for a consumer is attempting to use a mobile or web development application only to be told that there is a network problem. Traditional, server-side applications rely on communication with the server to work. However, the moment that the consumer is without internet–say in a rural area or while their phone is in airplane mode–the application becomes completely nonfunctional. This is especially troubling for advanced smartphone apps, since wireless service can be hit-or-miss in many regions of the United States. That’s why customer-focused executives insist on using a programming language that allows consumers to use an app while on an airplane or similar environment.
The JavaScript programming language enables mobile applications to be used without an internet connection since server communication is no longer a prerequisite for functionality. Front-end JavaScript libraries like Kendo UI are capable of using cached data to maintain performance until a network connection can be reestablished. The ability to create an application that can function near-flawlessly without internet is essential for modern consumers who want to use their devices anywhere, regardless of network connectivity. Companies interested in using JavaScript for front-end and back-end development can reach out to trusted software services to outsource JavaScript development and augment their internal capabilities.
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