JavaScript is a programming language that is, next to HTML and CSS, one of the core technologies that power the World Wide Web. For people with sizable knowledge that merely lack the conviction, JavaScript is a high-level, multi-paradigm (event-driven, imperative, and functional), dynamic-type programming language with weak and duck typing discipline. For laymen, you should know there are thousands of JavaScript courses available. Also, there’s a massive but support community, and help from the leading tech companies such as Google and Facebook. With that, let’s delve into the advantages and disadvantages of JavaScript.
Advantages of JavaScript
Love it or hate it, JavaScript has a lot of benefits. These key pros of JavaScript should dispel any reluctance you may have. These are the advantages of JavaScript.
1. It’s old, reputable, and standardized
JavaScript barged onto the World Wide Web scene in December 1995. It was created by Brendan Eich at Netscape to turn previously static web browser pages into dynamic ones. After reverse-engineering by Microsoft and their implementation of JScript in 1996, JavaScript was standardized via an ECMAScript specification in June 1997. For two decades and counting afterward, thousands of developers helped its development. Case in point, there was one ECMAScript edition per year between 2015 and 2021 (2021 being the 12th) with more on the way.
2. JavaScript is very popular
According to the W3Techs usage statistics, 97.6% of the websites on the Internet in late 2021 use JavaScript. This means the knowledge you amass won’t become irrelevant quickly, if ever. Also, the existence of such a widespread community means there are plenty of projects you can join or help create. Additionally, JavaScript is aided by the resources and manpower of global tech companies. To provide a front-end development structure, Google has created Angular Framework (also known as AngularJS), while Facebook developed the React.js framework. Similarly, OpenJS Foundation helps develop Node.js, an open-source back-end JavaScript runtime environment for use outside of a web browser.
3. It’s client-side based and thus fast
One of the pivotal advantages of JavaScript is its benefit on speed for the end-users. In other words, developers write the script for the client-side, so its execution doesn’t require any web server support. Furthermore, all modern browsers offer JIT (just-in-time) compilation. Therefore, the execution of the code is near-instantaneous, since you don’t need to compile it before you run it. Finally, unless it requires outside resources, network calls to a back-end server don’t affect JavaScript.
4. JavaScript is easy to learn and implement
JavaScript has a low entry threshold. That’s why many organizations or online courses in the IT sector start with this programming language before others. It’s also simple and easily accessible on the user side, which is one of the key disadvantages of JavaScript when used maliciously.
5. Interoperability
Interoperability represents the ability of computerized programs and systems to connect and transmit information amongst each other. And, well, JavaScript is interoperable, i.e., it plays well with other programming languages. Besides the fact you can insert it into any web page, you can also add it to scripts of other programming languages as a code snippet.
6. It reduces server load and overhead
The sheer fact that JavaScript does its work entirely on the client-side, and doesn’t depend on web servers for compilation or execution, considerably lessens the server load. Furthermore, many applications made with JavaScript don’t need a server whatsoever. This reduces the overhead for the project, thus saving time, resources, and money.
7. JavaScript provides means of creating rich interfaces
A wide variety of website elements and features such as pop-up windows, drag-and-drop functionality, sliders, timed content updates, animated graphics in 2D or 3D, scrolling videos, or interactive maps owe its existence to JavaScript. Moreover, the implementation of the advanced ones is only made possible by JavaScript’s ability to use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces, built into the browser, stored on your server, or provided by third parties).
8. Libraries for almost anything
There are thousands of JavaScript libraries on the package repositories such as NPM, Yarn, and GitHub. Even if you want a library to add two numbers, there is one. No matter what your requirement is, you can always find a supporting JavaScript library made by someone. For example, React is an extremely popular JavaScript library that allows you to create stunning web applications much faster. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of React earlier.
Disadvantages of JavaScript
Enough praise; let’s now turn to some of the cons of JavaScript –
1. It may put people at a security risk
The fact JavaScript code is executed on the user side means that an oversight or a bug can either wreak havoc. Likewise, someone can exploit the developer’s mishap for nefarious purposes. Additionally, if a website or application is hijacked, or the hacker gets hold of your computer, they can easily find and modify JavaScript. Besides con #4 below, the situation is made worse by the fact that, by default, you may only enable or disable JavaScript completely. In other words, users, hard-pressed to execute a particular trusted script, open themselves up for attack from others.
2. No static typing
This might be hard to understand for laymen, so we’ll cover the differences between static and dynamic typing separately. For now, you should know that this makes the development of large applications difficult. However, many developers bridge that gap by using the TypeScript overlay in software.
3. Its cross-browser implementation can be difficult
Scripts executed on the server-side always produce the same output, and are thus easy to predict. In contrast, different web browsers can interpret JavaScript code differently, changing its visual or functional output. To be fair, major web browsers have worked hard at compatibility in recent years. The differences, if any, should be slight.
4. Debugging tools aren’t advanced
The code editor software (such as HTML editor) that supports debugging isn’t nearly on the level of, say, C/C++ or PHP editors. This makes it hard for developers to spot problems in the code, leaving it exposed to malicious use. Even worse, a major mistake in JavaScript can stop the functionality completely, e.g. – rendering of the entire web page.
5. Rendering is slower than HTML
Although the situation is improving, the DOM (Document Object Model) JavaScript uses is slow. Despite all current and future improvements, it may never reach the rendering speed of HTML. So, when used in unison, JavaScript, regardless of how well optimized, can drag HTML down. Speed is a well-known disadvantage of high-level programming languages.
6. JavaScript lacks a multiple inheritance feature
Multiple inheritance is an object-oriented principle that refers to the ability of one class to inherit multiple method definitions from multiple class parents. JavaScript doesn’t support this, unlike Python, C++, or Curl. So, you can only inherit from a single object and a class may only extend one other class.
7. Too many packages and libraries
When you start developing something in JavaScript and get used to the popular libraries and packages, you will realize that it is much harder to choose one. Because almost all of them are made by different people, for different purposes, with different features, deciding what you exactly need might be a problem. The lack of standardization and proper development patters will give developers freedom, with the cost of uncertainty and chaos.