Why Should Companies Use JavaScript As a First Choice For Building Software Products?

• By Olivia Cuthbert
• 28-05-2021
• Technology

The world of programming languages is constantly growing. Innovative technologies are regularly introduced to meet the growing demands of businesses and users. However, choosing the correct programming language for a software product is a more or less challenging task. Whether you are an established multinational organization or a start-up company, a programming language is crucial in software projects. It is therefore essential to analyze several relevant factors before choosing a language.

Among the most popular and widely used programming languages, JavaScript is the frontrunner. JavaScript is used as the client-side programming language in 95.2% of all websites worldwide. It is a lightweight, high-level interpreted programming language. Developers often recommend it for building applications for various needs, from simple websites to interactive games. The results of Stack Overflow's 2018 annual developer survey found that 71.5% of professional developers identified JS as their preferred language choice.

What factors are keeping JS in demand? Let's take an in-depth look at JavaScript and determine why it should be considered the first choice for building software products.

| Getting to know JavaScript

Brendan Eich developed JavaScript in 1995 for the Netscape Navigator web browser. It is an object-oriented programming language primarily used for the dynamic and interactive rendering of web pages. Gone are the days when JavaScript dominated the frontend.

JavaScript-JS is now everywhere. It has evolved into an attractive language for cross-platform applications. Because of its dynamic nature and tight integration with the Document Object Model (DOM), is now widely used in general-purpose applications.

The introduction of isomorphic (universal) JavaScript has made this programming language environment independent. In other words, it allows the same code to be written and executed on both the client and server-side. React, Meteor, Angular Universal, Carberry, etc., are examples of JS isomorphic frameworks.

Today, JS and its ecosystem are dominating the software development industry. It provides a comprehensive set of tools that allow it to use in all types of software projects. JS is undoubtedly the best choice for software solutions in today's world because of its wide range of development frameworks and vibrant support communities.

The list of prominent organizations using JavaScript includes Netflix, Google, PayPal, Facebook, Airbnb, Uber, Microsoft, YouTube, etc.

| A larger framework in JavaScript

A framework is a ready-made code written in JavaScript for building software solutions. It includes a predefined application design and tools. It speeds up the development process, saving companies time, money and effort. Here are some hand-picked JS frameworks that are highly influential and equally popular:

React: It is undoubtedly one of the most popular JS frameworks for building dynamic user interfaces and advanced features. Its use by major brands such as Whatsapp, Airbnb, Facebook, Instagram, etc. React Native is an open-source framework for mobile apps developed by Facebook. It is widely used to build native mobile apps that are real and feature-rich.

Angular - Angular is another popular JS framework that is best suited for building dynamic single-page apps. It is a sought-after JS framework for businesses because of its unique features that reduce coding work significantly. An example of an organization using AngularJS is none other than technology giant Google.

Vue - Vue is the preferred JS framework for frontend development. It is often referred to as a progressive framework, which means it can adapt to the developer's needs. Adobe, Alibaba, Grammarly, and Xiaomi are some of the notable organizations making Vue-based apps.

Node: This is an event-driven framework that is very fast in operations. Node works well for applications that require a lot of data processing. Some of the big brands using Node are LinkedIn, Medium, Uber, and eBay.

Ember: Ember makes app development easy due to its streamlined and straightforward functionality. It is well capable of developing complex and large-scale client-side applications.
What can you build with JavaScript?

To quote Jeff Atwood's famous statement, often referred to as Atwood's Law, "Any application that can be written in JavaScript will eventually be written in JavaScript." That's a good choice. This quote is now more than a decade old, and it rings true in today's technological context. Today, JS is used to automate simple tasks to create complex software applications. Some of the more common uses of JavaScript are listed below.

Website development: JS is still widely used by developers to create robust, interactive, and dynamic websites with rich user interfaces.

Web applications: JS provides several frameworks for building complex web applications with little effort. Angular, Vue, React, etc., are commonly used frameworks for web applications. One notable example of web applications built with JS is Google Maps.

Web Server: With the advent of frameworks such as Node.js and Express.js, JavaScript often became a popular choice for web server applications. With JS, you can build robust web server applications with little investment and little effort.

Mobile apps: JS is a compelling and dynamic language for building robust mobile apps. As you know, mobile apps design for Android and Apple platforms and require a different approach to coding. With JS frameworks like React Native, you can create mobile apps on both app storefronts. Walmart, Facebook, Instagram, Bloomberg, etc., are examples of mobile apps built using JS frameworks.

Gaming apps: JS provides many game development frameworks (engines) with powerful features and tools to create fantastic gaming apps. In addition, the addition of HTML5 canvas has led to the development of faster and more complex browser-based games.

Internet of Things (IoT) - IoT is revolutionizing the world, and JS frameworks widely used to build robust IoT systems. Event-driven, open-source, the popularity of Node, end-user scripting, improved security - all these factors make it an acceptable choice for IoT application development systems. Large companies such as IBM, Samsung, and Microsoft use JS in their IoT devices.

Presentations - forget PowerPoint or Keynote; JS is used to create attractive and animated displays. Using HTML and CSS, engaging presentations can be built as websites using JS frameworks like Reveal.

Drones: Quadcopters are becoming more and more popular these days. It is now possible to control drones using JavaScript code.

Virtual Reality: JS can also be used to create virtual reality experiences. Powerful JavaScript APIs, such as WebVR allow VR devices to connect to the internet.
15 reasons why companies should consider using JavaScript in their software products

Despite the number of powerful tools and technologies coming to the market every month, JavaScript's reputation and acceptance remain undisputed. There is still a high demand for JS in enterprise software solutions. The likely reasons for the advancement and adoption of JS are listed below.

Powerful frameworks JavaScript has a rich library of frameworks that have been add over time, and developers can choose the one that is ideally suited to the specifics of their project. In addition, all of these frameworks have a host of unique features that make development faster, more efficient, and more cost-effective.

| The speed advantage
JavaScript runs exceptionally fast in the client browser. It is not limited to web calls to the background server. Server-side processing allows JavaScript to quickly render animations and similar features, ensuring a smoother user experience.

| Full development
JavaScript was initially introduced as an interpretable language. The advent of full development has made it possible to write backend and frontend code in JavaScript. Node, for example, is a JS framework that allows the web development process to be unified in a single programming language. One popular full-stack is the MEAN stack, which means MongoDB, Express, AngularJS, and NodeJS. The MEAN stack has been exploited by companies such as LinkedIn, Netflix, eBay, etc.

| Interoperability and compatibility
JavaScript is fully compatible with other programming languages, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Can quickly insert it into other web pages without being aware of the file extension. It is also compatible with scripts written in languages such as Perl and PHP.

| Ease of testing and debugging
Because JavaScript is an interpreted language, it is effortless to identify bugs at runtime. Code interprets line-by-line and can place errors along with the line number. It makes it easy for developers to find bugs, debug them and test again.

| An event-based language
JavaScript is an event-based language, which means that code segments execute in response to user activity. In other words, a code segment is only achieved when the user clicks a button or moves the mouse. The advantage is that all code is not initializing when the website is loaded to keep loading times to a minimum.

| Rich interface
The JS framework allows you to create a feature-rich, user-engaging search interface. Can quickly implement features such as drag and drop components and slides in JavaScript.

| Procedural features
JavaScript has all the features of a procedural programming language. Can perform Functions such as conditional checks, loops, forking, and branching on JS web pages. These features make your applications interactive and fun.

| Concurrent code
Concurrency can perform more than one task simultaneously: in JavaScript, it is possible to thread different processes by executing functions such as Callbacks, Promises, and Async/Await. It saves developers time by eliminating the need to write additional programs for other applications.

| Platform-independent
These days, most browsers can understand and interpret code written in JavaScript, and since JavaScript is a platform-independent language, it can run scripts on all kinds of browsers and platforms.

| Expert developers
JavaScript has an intuitive syntax that is easy to learn. It's easy for developers to learn the language and develop the skills to create great applications. As a result, there is no shortage of experts with a good knowledge of JavaScript. Thanks to the popularity of this language, you can easily find expert developers for the development and support of your software solutions.

| Support community
Like other popular languages, JavaScript has an active support community where you can get help with all aspects of development and maintenance. Long-term maintenance and timely upgrades are essential for any business-oriented software solution. It will be easy to find support for your JS-enabled solution in the future.

| Cost-effectiveness
The cost of developing a software solution is a considerable investment, especially for start-ups and SMEs. It is where JavaScript frameworks can be of great help. Most of the JS frameworks are open source and free for developers to use. It means that you do not have to bear the cost of expensive subscriptions or product licenses. The price of developing a software solution can be significantly lower with JavaScript.

| Cybersecurity
Ensuring the security of your data is a priority when building enterprise software solutions. The beauty of the JS framework is that a large part of its resources is dedicated to enhancing security features. It also has an extensive support community of developers who are willing to identify and actively debug problems. It is why you can count on the security features provided by the language.

| Future-oriented technology
Without a doubt, JavaScript is here to stay. The extent to which this programming language has evolved over the last 20 years is astonishing compared to its competitors. It continues to grow in line with the changing technological environment. It makes it easy to create modern, effective, and sustainable solutions using JavaScript for your business.

Which JavaScript framework is right for your business?

JavaScript has a large ecosystem of frameworks, technology-based stacks, libraries, and other tools that provide plenty of room for creativity and experimentation. Each framework has its particular strengths and weaknesses. There is probably no one framework that is perfect for every project.

Here are a few essential considerations when choosing a JS framework for your business.

| Project specifications and requirements

With so many options to choose from, the right step is to narrow down the technologies that can address the specific needs of your project. There's a rule of thumb that says, "it's impossible to find the best framework, but you can pick the right one." Before choosing a technology, make sure you understand your business goals and project objectives. For example, Node is a good choice among JS frameworks if your solution requires a live chat feature.

| Checklist of technical features
The technical features checklist includes various factors such as data binding, testability, dependencies, templates, modularity, browser compatibility, third-party functionality, responsiveness, usability, adaptability, etc. The flexibility provided by the framework is also an essential factor.

Development and maintenance costs. Ideally, the technology should be chosen, taking into account its affordability. Development costs do not stop at completion; maintenance can also be expensive.

| Availability of resources
As a business owner, you should not waste your time finding a professional developer for your chosen framework. Make sure the language and framework you choose have a dynamic developer community. It would be best to consider whether the developer is willing to provide prompt maintenance and support in the future. You should know that all technology has a life cycle, so check that your chosen technology will last for a long time.

| Conclusion
JavaScript is undoubtedly a promising technology; its capabilities and flexibility allow software development companies to build robust software solutions that deliver excellent results.

According to trends, JS expects to experience impressive growth in the coming years due to its high adoption rate and increasing popularity. In addition, it continues to evolve and enhance its capabilities to meet the demands of the modern business environment. In this fast-paced technological world, it is no wonder that it is the preferred choice for many small businesses and Fortune 500 companies.

Ultimately, the choice of technology to build a software solution is subjective. It must choose carefully based on use cases, current and future business goals, and affordability. However, the final selection of technology should be based on whether it meets the project's specific requirements.