It's About Time to Take JavaScript (More) Seriously

JavaScript is a scripting language, of course. The drawbacks and benefits of scripting languages compared to full-fledged programming languages have been explored before. In a previous installment of this column, Diomidis Spinellis points out that with scripting languages, users can benefit from flexible syntax, loose type systems, powerful reflection mechanisms, and shorter build cycles. Scripting languages have proven their usefulness in various application areas. Unix relies heavily on shell scripting to accomplish many complex tasks. Visual Basic, in combination with ActiveX, provides a low-entry barrier into the world of component-based programming. Tcl/Tk is still popular to rapidly develop GUI-based applications. And then there's JavaScript, which has gained considerable importance in realizing clientside functionality on Web apps. In a survey on the most popular programming languages, JavaScript made it to the Top 10.