JavaScript in 10 days: The Remarkable Story of its Creation
JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages used today, but few people know the fascinating story of how it came to be. In this article, we’ll take a look at the remarkable history of JavaScript and how it went from an experiment to become the backbone of the modern web.
Day 1: The Birth of JavaScript
In 1995, Netscape Communications Corporation was one of the leading companies on the internet. Its flagship product, the Netscape Navigator web browser, dominated the market. However, Netscape had one major problem: its web pages were static and lacked interactivity.
To address this issue, Netscape tasked Brendan Eich, a young programmer who had recently joined the company, with creating a scripting language that could be embedded in web pages. Eich had just 10 days to come up with a solution.
Day 2-6: The Creation of Mocha
Eich decided to build on an existing programming language called Scheme, which he had used during his studies at the University of Illinois. He created a new language called Mocha, which included all the features Netscape needed for interactive web pages.
Day 7: Renaming Mocha to LiveScript
Netscape was preparing to release a new version of Navigator, which included Eich’s new scripting language. However, just before the launch, Netscape panicked and decided that Mocha wasn’t a catchy enough name. They changed the name to LiveScript, hoping to ride the coattails of the popular Java programming language.
Day 8-9: Collaboration with Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, the company that developed Java, saw that Netscape was using a similar name and feared it would confuse people. They reached an agreement with Netscape to change the name of the language again, to JavaScript. Although the name had little to do with Java, it had the catchiness that Netscape wanted.
Day 10: Release of JavaScript
On December 4, 1995, Netscape Navigator 2 was released, and with it came the first version of JavaScript. The language was an instant hit, and programmers quickly began using it to add interactivity to their web pages.
JavaScript Today
Today, JavaScript is a vital component of the modern web. It is supported by all major web browsers and is used to create complex applications, interactive websites, and responsive user interfaces. It is also the backbone of many popular frameworks and libraries, such as AngularJS, React, and jQuery.
The remarkable story of JavaScript shows how a programming language that was created in just 10 days went on to change the world. The simplicity and flexibility of the language have made it an enduring favorite among programmers, and it will continue to play a crucial role in shaping the web for years to come.