ARCHIVED: What is JavaScript?

JavaScript is an object-oriented scripting language developed by Netscape Communications for client/server applications. JavaScript is not the same as Java, although the languages do have similar syntax.

There are two types of JavaScript:

• Navigator (client-side) JavaScript
  
  
• LiveWire (server-side) JavaScript

Navigator JavaScript

All versions of Netscape Navigator starting with version 2.0 are capable of interpreting JavaScript statements that are part of an HTML document. When a remote site sends a document containing JavaScript statements, your browser executes these statements, producing the results you see.

LiveWire JavaScript

LiveWire refers to a development environment for creating server-based applications using JavaScript. These applications are similar to CGI scripts in their behavior.

Basic differences between JavaScript and Java

• JavaScript is an interpreted language, while Java code is compiled before you download it.
  
  
• JavaScript does not support classes or inheritance.
  
  
• JavaScript has "loose typing"; that is, you don't need to specify the data types of variables.
  
  
• More browsers support Java than JavaScript.

This document is loosely based on information obtained from Netscape's JavaScript Guide: http://wp.netscape.com/eng/mozilla/3.0/handbook/javascript/

Also see:

• Is Java supported on IU's web servers?
• In Mac OS X, how can I use Java?
• In Firefox, how do I turn Java and JavaScript off or on?
• In Mac OS and Mac OS X, what is AppleScript, and how do I use it?
• What are ActiveX and ActiveX controls?