History of JavaScript
JavaScript was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich while he was working at Netscape. It was originally called Mocha, briefly renamed to LiveScript, and finally became JavaScript.
Why the Name “JavaScript”?
Despite the name, JavaScript has nothing to do with Java in terms of design. Netscape partnered with Sun Microsystems (creators of Java) to promote the language and named it “JavaScript” to ride the hype around Java in the mid-90s.
This marketing decision caused confusion for years, but JavaScript and Java are as different as car and carpet.
Key Milestones
- 1995: JavaScript created in 10 days at Netscape.
- 1997: Standardized by ECMA as ECMAScript.
- 2005: Ajax popularized dynamic web apps.
- 2009: Node.js released – JS enters backend.
- 2015: ES6 introduced major modern features.
- 2020s: JS dominates with frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular.
Why It Matters
Knowing the history and naming confusion helps understand JavaScript’s ecosystem, rapid growth, and its role as the core language of the web.
@JDCodebase • Learn JavaScript the right way 🚀
History of JavaScript
JavaScript was created in 1995 by Brendan Eich while he was working at Netscape. It was originally called Mocha, briefly renamed to LiveScript, and finally became JavaScript.
Why the Name “JavaScript”?
Despite the name, JavaScript has nothing to do with Java in terms of design. Netscape partnered with Sun Microsystems (creators of Java) to promote the language and named it “JavaScript” to ride the hype around Java in the mid-90s.
This marketing decision caused confusion for years, but JavaScript and Java are as different as car and carpet.
Key Milestones
- 1995: JavaScript created in 10 days at Netscape.
- 1997: Standardized by ECMA as ECMAScript.
- 2005: Ajax popularized dynamic web apps.
- 2009: Node.js released – JS enters backend.
- 2015: ES6 introduced major modern features.
- 2020s: JS dominates with frameworks like React, Vue, and Angular.
Why It Matters
Knowing the history and naming confusion helps understand JavaScript’s ecosystem, rapid growth, and its role as the core language of the web.
@JDCodebase • Learn JavaScript the right way 🚀