Pengenalan JavaScript

Pada tulisan ini kita akan berkenalan dan berdiskusi tentang beberapa konsep mendasar JavaScript.

This chapter introduces JavaScript and discusses some of its fundamental concepts.

Apa itu JavaScript?

JavaScript adalah bahasa pemograman yang cross-platform, berorientasi objek dan bahasa scripting. JavaScript adalah bahasa yang berukuran kecil dan ringan. JavaScript adalah bahasa yang ditanamkan pada web browser yang berarti tidak berdiri sendiri seperti C ataupun C++.

Core JavaScript terdiri dari beberapa set Core (inti) objek, seperti Array, Date (Tanggal), dan Math (Matemtika), dan set Core Elemen Bahasa Pemograman seperti operator, struktur kontrol, dan statements. Core JavaScript dapat diperluas lagi untuk beberapa keperluan dengan cara menambahkan beberapa object lain, seperti :

• Client-side JavaScript metode untuk JavaScript yang dijalankan pada sisi client. Sebagai contoh ketika anda membuka halaman web maka halaman web yang menggunakan Client-side JavaScript akan mengirimkan Source JavaScript dan dijalankan pada browser. dengan Client-side, JavaScript dapat mengontrol web browser dan navigator seperti membuat atau mengedit element yang ada pada HTML form (DOM), dan juga dapat merespon event seperti mouse klik, form input, dan navigasi halaman.
• Server-side JavaScript adalah metode ketika JavaScript dijalankan pada sisi server dan sisi client hanya mendapat hasil dari proses yang berjalan pada server. dengan Server-side  JavaScript dapat berhubungan langsung seperti database dan memodifikasi file yang ada pada Host atau Server.

JavaScript's LiveConnect

Dengan JavaScript's  LiveConnect anda dapat memberikan akses kepada code Java dan code JavaScript  untuk berkomunikasi satu sama lain. Dari JavaScript anda dapat mengakses objek ataupun public method yang ada pada Java dan juga sebaliknya, dengan Java anda dapat mengakses object atau fungsi yang ada pada JavaScript.

JavaScript dan Java

JavaScript dan Java adalah sama namun berbeda dalam beberapa kasus. JavaScript adalah bahasa yang menyerupai Java namun JavaScript tidak memiliki static typing dan strong checking seperti halnya Java. JavaScript meniru banyak expression syntas, penamaan konvensi, dan konstruksi kontrol dasar yang dimiliki oleh Java, itulah alasan mengapa LiveScript berubah nama menjadi JavaScript.

In contrast to Java's compile-time system of classes built by declarations, JavaScript supports a runtime system based on a small number of data types representing numeric, Boolean, and string values. JavaScript has a prototype-based object model instead of the more common class-based object model. The prototype-based model provides dynamic inheritance; that is, what is inherited can vary for individual objects. JavaScript also supports functions without any special declarative requirements. Functions can be properties of objects, executing as loosely typed methods.

JavaScript is a very free-form language compared to Java. You do not have to declare all variables, classes, and methods. You do not have to be concerned with whether methods are public, private, or protected, and you do not have to implement interfaces. Variables, parameters, and function return types are not explicitly typed.

Java is a class-based programming language designed for fast execution and type safety. Type safety means, for instance, that you can't cast a Java integer into an object reference or access private memory by corrupting Java bytecodes. Java's class-based model means that programs consist exclusively of classes and their methods. Java's class inheritance and strong typing generally require tightly coupled object hierarchies. These requirements make Java programming more complex than JavaScript programming.

In contrast, JavaScript descends in spirit from a line of smaller, dynamically typed languages such as HyperTalk and dBASE. These scripting languages offer programming tools to a much wider audience because of their easier syntax, specialized built-in functionality, and minimal requirements for object creation.

For more information on the differences between JavaScript and Java, see the chapter Details of the Object Model.

JavaScript and the ECMAScript Specification

Netscape invented JavaScript, and JavaScript was first used in Netscape browsers. However, Netscape is working with Ecma International — the European association for standardizing information and communication systems (ECMA was formerly an acronym for the European Computer Manufacturers Association) to deliver a standardized, international programming language based on core JavaScript. This standardized version of JavaScript, called ECMAScript, behaves the same way in all applications that support the standard. Companies can use the open standard language to develop their implementation of JavaScript. The ECMAScript standard is documented in the ECMA-262 specification.

The ECMA-262 standard is also approved by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) as ISO-16262. You can find a PDF version of ECMA-262 (outdated version) at the Mozilla website. You can also find the specification on the Ecma International website. The ECMAScript specification does not describe the Document Object Model (DOM), which is standardized by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The DOM defines the way in which HTML document objects are exposed to your script.

Relationship between JavaScript Versions and ECMAScript Editions

Netscape worked closely with Ecma International to produce the ECMAScript Specification (ECMA-262). The following table describes the relationship between JavaScript versions and ECMAScript editions.

The JavaScript Reference indicates which features of the language are ECMAScript-compliant.

JavaScript will always include features that are not part of the ECMAScript Specification; JavaScript is compatible with ECMAScript, while providing additional features.

JavaScript Documentation versus the ECMAScript Specification

The ECMAScript specification is a set of requirements for implementing ECMAScript; it is useful if you want to determine whether a JavaScript feature is supported in other ECMAScript implementations. If you plan to write JavaScript code that uses only features supported by ECMAScript, then you may need to review the ECMAScript specification.

The ECMAScript document is not intended to help script programmers; use the JavaScript documentation for information on writing scripts.

JavaScript and ECMAScript Terminology

The ECMAScript specification uses terminology and syntax that may be unfamiliar to a JavaScript programmer. Although the description of the language may differ in ECMAScript, the language itself remains the same. JavaScript supports all functionality outlined in the ECMAScript specification.

The JavaScript documentation describes aspects of the language that are appropriate for a JavaScript programmer. For example:

• The Global Object is not discussed in the JavaScript documentation because you do not use it directly. The methods and properties of the Global Object, which you do use, are discussed in the JavaScript documentation but are called top-level functions and properties.
• The no parameter (zero-argument) constructor with the Number and String objects is not discussed in the JavaScript documentation, because what is generated is of little use. A Number constructor without an argument returns +0, and a String constructor without an argument returns "" (an empty string).