The Past, Present, and Future of JavaScript

Book excerpt: What’s next for JavaScript? Its phenomenal rise from a simple client-side scripting tool to a versatile and flexible programming language exceeded everyone’s expectations. Now, hopes and expectations for JavaScript’s future are considerable. In this insightful report, Dr. Axel Rauschmayer explains how the combination of several technologies and opportunities in the past 15 years turned JavaScript’s fortunes. With that as a backdrop, he provides a detailed look at proposed new features and fixes in the next version, ECMAScript.next, and then presents his own JavaScript wish list—such as an integrated IDE. Understand the key role that XMLHttpRequest, JSON, jQuery, V8, Node.js, and other advances played Examine proposed fixes for ECMAScript.next through code examples Discover how JavaScript is becoming a better target for compilers Explore the technologies that will help JavaScript provide support for concurrency Learn how HTML5 is a compelling platform for JavaScript in web, mobile, and desktop applications Dr. Rauschmayer is a consultant and trainer for JavaScript, web technologies, and information management.