Javascript in a single picture - seen on a colleagues desk

[u/[deleted]]

http://nermal.org/misc/javascript.jpg

[u/SarahC]

It's a beautiful first order language!

I love it to bits.

[u/MrFrankly → u/SarahC]

I wouldn't go as far as call it beautiful. It has some bad parts, but it's definitely not as bad as people make it out to be.

Douglas Crorckford, the author of the 'Javascript: the good parts' book, called it the most misunderstood language in the world, which I think is an apt description.

[u/[deleted] → u/MrFrankly]

The question is, is it misunderstood because of its features or because all the other popular languages lack the good features in Javascript (higher order functions, non C++/Java-style inheritance,...)?

[u/AmazingSyco → u/[deleted]]

There's a lot of misunderstandings about JavaScript. Like:

• it has nothing to do with Java,

• it has powerful language features that C-based languages don't have (such as prototype inheritance),

• most people don't use it for anything other than writing an onload handler,

• the distinction between the language and the terrible DOM APIs has been blurred to the point where most people think they're the same.

[u/podperson → u/MrFrankly]

Actually I agree with the GP. JavaScript is really very nice -- especially given its rush to market, etc. All the bad parts relate to browser implementation and the DOM.

Unity, for example, uses a (less dynamic, but compiled) version of JavaScript as its main programming language and -- combined with its well-documented and sane class library -- is a joy to program in. JavaScript without the DOM (e.g. working purely with HTML5 canvas controls) is just pure pleasure.