Use cases of JavaScript

JavaScript is a client-side programming language which helps web developer to do Web Application Development and make dynamic and interactive web pages by implementing custom client-side scripts. Developers can also use cross-platform runtime engines like Node.js to write server-side code in JavaScript. Developers can also create web pages which works well across various browsers, platforms, and devices by combining JavaScript, HTML5, and CSS3.

There are many JavaScript Frameworks available in the web market like AngularJS, ReactJS, NodeJS etc. By using these frameworks, you can reduce the amount of time and efforts required for developing JS based sites and apps. JavaScript allows the programmers to build large-scale web application easily. It simplifies the whole process of developing large-scale web applications.

SlashData’s Developer Economics is one of the leading research programs on mobile, desktop, IoT, cloud, Web, AR, VR, game, and machine learning developers. It tracks the developer experience across platform based on thousands of developers annually. As per its 14th Developer Economics global survey, the following developers trends for 2018 emerged:-

• SlashData report says the future is AI and the related emerging technologies like self-driving cars, brain computer interface etc will make biggest impact in the next 5 years.
• Developers now adopting serverless platforms to reduce cost by paying for only what they use.
• AR is an emerging as hot technology for developers with both companies Apple and Google releasing inbuilt AR on their smartphone platforms. For AR/VR both companies are targeting the devices that customers already use i.e smartphones and desktops.
• SlashData also presents an estimate for the number of active software developers using various programming languages used across the globe.

This report says, JavaScript is the most popular programming language used by about 10 million developers worldwide. At second place is Java and Python is also catching up with 6.3 Million active developers. The rise of machine learning is pushing Python up.

Platform as a Service | PaaS

Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a runtime environment. It allows programmers to easily create, test, run, and deploy web applications. You can purchase these applications from a cloud service provider on a pay-as-per use basis and access them using the Internet connection. In PaaS, back end scalability is managed by the cloud service provider, so end- users do not need to worry about managing the infrastructure.

PaaS includes infrastructure (servers, storage, and networking) and platform (middleware, development tools, database management systems, business intelligence, and more) to support the web application life cycle.

Example: Google App Engine, Force.com, Joyent, Azure.

PaaS providers provide the Programming languages, Application frameworks, Databases, and Other tools:

1. Programming languages

PaaS providers provide various programming languages for the developers to develop the applications. Some popular programming languages provided by PaaS providers are Java, PHP, Ruby, Perl, and Go.

2. Application frameworks

PaaS providers provide application frameworks to easily understand the application development. Some popular application frameworks provided by PaaS providers are Node.js, Drupal, Joomla, WordPress, Spring, Play, Rack, and Zend.

Difference between JDK, JRE, and JVM

3. Databases

PaaS providers provide various databases such as ClearDB, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and Redis to communicate with the applications.

4. Other tools

PaaS providers provide various other tools that are required to develop, test, and deploy the applications.

Advantages of PaaS

There are the following advantages of PaaS -

1) Simplified Development

PaaS allows developers to focus on development and innovation without worrying about infrastructure management.

2) Lower risk

No need for up-front investment in hardware and software. Developers only need a PC and an internet connection to start building applications.

3) Prebuilt business functionality

Some PaaS vendors also provide already defined business functionality so that users can avoid building everything from very scratch and hence can directly start the projects only.

4) Instant community

PaaS vendors frequently provide online communities where the developer can get the ideas to share experiences and seek advice from others.

5) Scalability

Applications deployed can scale from one to thousands of users without any changes to the applications.