According to survey results from Stack Overflow in 2020, JavaScript is the most popular programming language in the world, with over 63% of developers using it.

It has the largest open-source package repository in the world (npm) and there are also many different frameworks and libraries that are built with it.

JavaScript is easy to get started with as it does not require any installation to start writing code.

At first, JavaScript could only be run on web browsers. However, due to its popularity, it can now be run locally and on the server. So JavaScript can be used to build complete applications, both front-end and back-end.

In this article, I will explain some of the areas in which JavaScript can be used.

Front-end Web Development

Front-end development is concerned with the part of a web page that users can see and interact with. It is also known as client-side development.

There are three main technologies you need to know when it comes to front-end development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

HTML (HyperText Markup Language) has to do with the structure and content of the site, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) handles styling.

And lastly, JavaScript makes the webpage dynamic. And this can be done in different ways, such as:

Presentation

You can create awesome carousels and sliders on a webpage easily using some JavaScript libraries like Reveal JS, Swiper JS, and Owl JS.

With these libraries, you can customize the presentation of your webpage quickly and without fuss.

Animations

One of the ways you can make your website lively and attractive is by using Animations. You can use them on a webpage in different ways such as through movements, transformations of objects, and so many other amazing things.

There are a number of animation libraries to choose from, such as Anime JS, Greensock JS, Mo JS, and Animate On Scroll. These are all JavaScript-built libraries that make creating your animations easier using smaller blocks of code.

Single Page Applications (SPAs)

JavaScript can also be used to build out Single Page Applications (SPAs). These involve complex dynamic interactions, and you can build them with the help of frameworks and libraries such as React JS, Polymer JS, Vue JS, and Angular JS.

Here is an awesome resource for using JavaScript for Front-end Web Development.

freeCodeCamp also has a whole JavaScript-based curriculum that you can check out here.

Back-end Web Development

Back-end development is concerned with the part of the web page that the users don't visually interact with. This is also known as server-side development.

Back-end development has to do with creating databases, APIs, file servers, cloud services, and more.

And with the creation of Node.js, a JavaScript runtime engine, you can now use JavaScript for back-end web development as well.

Different JavaScript frameworks have been built to simplify the process of back-end web development. Some of which include:

  • Express Js: Express is the most well-known Web Application framework based on Node.js. It is mainly used to develop Web Applications and REST APIs.

  • Fastify: This is a minimalistic Server-Side Web Framework with a massive focus on developer experience and application performance.

  • Koa: This is a lightweight, modern, expressive, and robust middleware framework for Web Applications and APIs.

Here is an awesome resource for using JavaScript for Back-end Web Development.

Game Development

Games are one of the most fun projects you can create, because both you and the end user can enjoy them.

There are different ways of making games with JavaScript depending on the complexity of the game.

You can build simple 2D games from scratch using Html, CSS, and vanilla javascript. Here's a great resource that can help you get started with this:

For building complex game designs, as well as more efficient and faster games, you can use a JavaScript game engine to make the process easier.

Some of these engines are Phaser Js, Bablyon Js, and Lime Js. You can find more Here.

These game engines are helpful because you'll write less code to achieve the results.

Here are a couple great resources to help you get started building games in JavaScript:

Learn to build games with JS in this video course from freeCodeCamp.

And here's a JS game dev mini-degree course.

Mobile App Development

Mobile app development refers to the process of writing software that works on a mobile device. It involves developing applications that can be used on mobile devices.

You can use JavaScript to develop mobile apps. Different Javascript frameworks and libraries have been built for creating native, cross-platform, and hybrid apps using JavaScript. Some of them are:

  • React Native: React Native is an open-source framework that can be used for building cross-platform native apps. React Native uses a declarative programming style and reusable components for user interfaces.

  • NativeScript: NativeScript is one of the most well-known cross-platform frameworks that helps you develop truly native mobile apps for Android and iOS platforms. As it is an open-source framework, developers can adjust the user interface for multiple screens & devices and also use various dependencies.

  • Ionic: Ionic is another popular JavaScript framework for building hybrid apps. For developers familiar with web technologies and web app development, understanding the structure of an Ionic app is straightforward.

Selecting the right JavaScript framework for your project depends on the application you are building and also what platform it's intended for. So be sure to select one based on your use-case if you can.

Wrapping up

JavaScript is a multipurpose language and can be applied in many different areas of technology. I highly recommend learning JavaScript as a programming language if you're interested in any of the areas I discussed above.

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