The Philosophy of JavaScript

JavaScript: The language that powers the internet (and pop-up ads, unfortunately)

Ah, JavaScript.

The programming language that’s both loved and hated by developers worldwide.

It’s the language that powers the internet, bringing interactivity and life to otherwise static web pages. But what is the philosophy of JavaScript, and how does it shape the way we write code?

We know that most developers will have to touch JavaScript in one way or another due to its sheer amount of applications.

First and foremost, JavaScript is a language that prioritizes flexibility and ease of use.

Its syntax is forgiving, allowing developers to write code quickly without getting bogged down in the details.

And with its dynamic typing system, variables can be assigned and reassigned on the fly, making it a versatile language for a wide range of applications.

But with great power comes great responsibility, and JavaScript is no exception.

It’s easy to write code that’s buggy or inefficient, especially when working with larger codebases. That’s where good coding practices come into play.

Let’s take a look at an example of some well-written JavaScript code:

function calculateBMI(height, weight) { const heightInMeters = height / 100; const bmi = weight / (heightInMeters * heightInMeters); return bmi.toFixed(2);}const userHeight = 170;const userWeight = 70;const userBMI = calculateBMI(userHeight, userWeight);console.log(`Your BMI is ${userBMI}`);

In this example, we have a function that calculates a user’s body mass index (BMI) based on their height and weight.

The function takes two arguments, height and weight, and then calculates the BMI using the formula weight / (heightInMeters * heightInMeters).

The toFixed(2) method is used to round the BMI to two decimal places.

Then, we have some variables that store the user’s height and weight, and a variable that calls the calculateBMI function to calculate the user’s BMI. Finally, we use console.log to print out the user’s BMI.

This code is well-written because it follows good coding practices such as using descriptive variable names, breaking down complex calculations into smaller, more manageable steps, and using comments to explain what the code is doing.

But despite the best efforts of developers to write clean, efficient JavaScript code, there are still those who abuse its power for evil.

I’m talking, of course, about those pesky pop-up ads that plague the internet.

while (true) { alert("CLICK HERE FOR A FREE IPAD");}

This code creates an infinite loop that displays an annoying pop-up message, urging users to click a link for a “free iPad”. Not only is this code obnoxious, but it also highlights the potential dangers of JavaScript in the wrong hands.

In conclusion, the philosophy of JavaScript is one of flexibility and ease of use, but with great power comes great responsibility.

By following good coding practices and using JavaScript for good, we can harness its power to create dynamic, engaging web experiences for users worldwide.

And let’s leave the pop-up ads to the spammers, shall we?