10 Things You Can Do With JavaScript

JavaScript is a universal programming language. It is everywhere, but it is even more powerful than that. You can do much more with JavaScript than just webpage stuff. There are many other unique possibilities that this language opens up.

In this article, we will show you just a few of the ways you can put your JS skills to good use.

What is JavaScript Programming Language?

JavaScript is a programming language that was used for scripting web pages to make them more interactive. Netscape created it to compete with Microsoft’s VBScript, but it wasn’t until after the release of IE 3 that JavaScript took off. Now, it has evolved into a powerful language used in web browsers and servers (Node.js).

So, what can you do with JavaScript?

JavaScript is a lightweight scripting language used in web development for dynamic formatting content. It can also be used for other tasks, including mobile development, web applications, desktop applications, and more.

1. Mobile Apps

You can use JavaScript to create mobile applications. One of the more popular frameworks for doing so is React Native, which helps programmers build native apps using JavaScript.

Near Native Performance

Using React Native, you can develop mobile apps with JavaScript only. It allows you to create mobile apps for both Android and iOS without learning the native languages of each platform (Java for Android and Swift for iOS).

It lets a JavaScript web developer use their skills to create a fully functional mobile app with performance comparable to that of a traditional app built with Swift or Java.

NativeScript is another framework for building native mobile apps in JavaScript. Like React Native, it allows you to create native UI components. The difference is that NativeScript takes a different approach than React Native by building on top of the popular Angular framework, which means that programmers can use Angular to create mobile apps in JavaScript.

2. Front-end Web Development

JavaScript is also used for front-end development. Front-end developers use CSS, HTML, and JavaScript to create the visible parts of a website or web application.

Another reason why JavaScript is popular for front-end development is because it doesn’t require a compilation step before being used in a web page, unlike some other programming languages. It means that programmers can write code and refresh their browser to see changes instantly without typing in a command or running a program.

3. Back-end Web Development

JavaScript can also be used for web development on the server. This allows JavaScript developers to use their skills to work with both front-end and back-end aspects of a website.

4. JavaScript as a Serverless Computing Programming Langauge

Serverless computing is a cloud-based development that allows front-end developers to create server applications without running their servers or managing infrastructure.

JavaScript Functions

The three most popular serverless frameworks are AWS Lambda and Google Cloud Functions and Azure Functions. These services allow programmers to create server applications that work like client-side JavaScript since cloud functions run on the edge of a network where scripts can be executed without hosting them online.

AWS Lambda is a popular service among enterprise developers because it allows companies to build and run back-end code in the cloud without managing servers, databases, or other infrastructure.

Google Cloud Functions is a service that makes it easy for most developers to create production-ready JavaScript functions and deploy them in seconds. In addition, developers don’t have to worry about configuring servers, scaling their app’s resources, or setting up load balancers when using Google Cloud Functions.

Azure Functions is a serverless platform from Microsoft. It makes it easy for developers to create web applications by writing JavaScript code that can be run from any server or service that supports Node.js, including AWS Lambda and Azure App Service.

5. Desktop Applications

JavaScript is also used for creating desktop applications thanks to platforms like Electron and NW.js. Electron is backed by GitHub and is a compelling framework that you can use to build cross-platform desktop applications. It’s based on Node.js and allows you to use the same code for all platforms (instead of having separate code bases for different operating systems).

NW.js is similar to Electron in that it allows JavaScript developers to build desktop apps using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. But, again, like Electron, NW.js enables you to use the same code for all platforms.

Both allow developers to create desktop applications using JavaScript by providing cross-platform APIs that work with all operating systems (OS X, Windows, and Linux).

6. Game Development

JavaScript has also worked its way into the gaming industry. With HTML5, developers can create small games or game elements inside an existing webpage (for example, a banner ad or a moving object on the side of a webpage). In addition, browser games allow players to access their favorite games from any computer, which is excellent for people who don’t own gaming consoles or mobile devices.

2D and 3D Games

There are also 2D and 3D game frameworks for JavaScript, like Phaser, Babylon.js, and Three.js.

Phaser is a framework for building 2D games. It features many great examples and code snippets that you can use to learn from and develop your video games.

Babylon.js is a framework for creating 3D games. At the same time, Three.js is a library that makes it easier to work with Babylon.js and other JavaScript frameworks by simplifying the process of writing WebGL code (which is used to render graphics in web browsers).

All three of these game frameworks (Phaser, Babylon.js, and Three.js) are great for making games of all sizes, from simple mobile games to complex high-end 3D console games.

7. Artificial Intelligence

JavaScript is also an excellent language for working with AI, thanks to frameworks like the TensorFlow library. 

8. You can write plugins for popular applications

Companies even use JavaScript to build third-party plugins for their products, like Adobe Photoshop and Microsoft Office. These plugins are written in JavaScript source code and allow developers to add new features (and even create entire applications within certain apps, like Adobe Photoshop).

JS is also gaining popularity when it comes to making add-ons for Firefox and Chrome. Millions of users use add-ons built with JavaScript to customize their browsers’ functionality, and you can even find add-ons that allow you to play video games inside your browser.

Some developers are even using JavaScript to make add-ons for Minecraft, which allows players to create valuable tools or playful minigames inside Minecraft by writing code.  

9. Data Visualization

One of the uses for JavaScript is data visualization, or creating visual representations of data using code. For example, many people use D3.js to create interactive graphs, charts, and maps that update in real-time based on revised data sets (with D3, you can even change the shapes used to draw data in a visual).

D3.js lets developers turn raw data into responsive and interactive 2D and 3D graphs, charts, and maps that update as new data is entered (you can change the visuals to represent different types of data sets, like geographical regions). You can even create animated GIFs using D3.js.

Making data visualizations with D3 is relatively simple: you create a free and open-source account (which gives you access to the D3 library and tutorials), then upload your data as a .csv file, select what type of graph or map you want to make, and then click “generate” to produce your finished product.

D3 works with all data types and can make beautiful, responsive visualizations that communicate information in a way words never could.

10. Embedded Device Development and IoT

JavaScript is also gaining popularity for embedded device development. This means that you can create apps for very small devices using JavaScript because it’s lightweight and easy to use.

You can even use JavaScript to develop for the Internet of Things (IoT), which means developing apps connected to the internet. As more devices are connected to the internet (such as your television, refrigerator, thermostat, etc.), JavaScript is an excellent choice to develop apps for these new types of “smart” devices.  

One of the most popular frameworks for embedded device development with JS is Johnny-Five. It helps developers make hardware talk to software by making it easy to install and use commands to interact with hardware. For example, using JavaScript for embedded development, you can create a device that can wirelessly control everything from a fan to a robot.

Conclusion

JavaScript is the most used language on Earth, and it’s quickly gaining popularity in new areas. It can be used for mobile app development, web development, machine learning, IoT, and more.

JavaScript allows developers to do almost anything they want with code, which means JavaScript remains a particular skill that’s likely to play a vital role in future development for many years to come.