History of JavaScript
JavaScript has a fun and surprising history. It all started back in 1995, when the web was very basic — just static pages with no interaction at all.
Why Was JavaScript Created?
Netscape, the company behind a popular browser at the time, wanted to make the web more interactive. They hired Brendan Eich, who created the first version of JavaScript in just 10 days!
At first, it was called Mocha, then LiveScript, and finally JavaScript — a marketing trick to ride on the popularity of Java (even though the two languages are not related).
The Early Days (1995–2005)
In the beginning, JavaScript only worked in Netscape browsers. Microsoft responded by creating their own version called JScript for Internet Explorer, which led to compatibility issues.
To fix this mess, a standard version of JavaScript was created in 1997, called ECMAScript. From then on, all browsers tried to follow the same rules.
JavaScript Grows Up (2009–2015)
In 2009, JavaScript made a big leap with the launch of Node.js — this allowed it to run outside the browser. Developers could now use JavaScript for backend work too!
JavaScript Becomes a Full-Stack Powerhouse
Then came ES6 (ECMAScript 6) in 2015, which was a major update. It added features like let, const, arrow functions, classes, promises, and modules — making JavaScript a modern language.
JavaScript Today
Today, JavaScript is one of the most popular programming languages in the world. It runs on browsers, servers, mobile apps, and even desktop apps using tools like React, Next.js, and Node.js.
It continues to evolve every year with new features, better performance, and a huge global developer community.
Quick Timeline
- 1995 – JavaScript created by Brendan Eich at Netscape
- 1997 – ECMAScript standard introduced
- 2009 – Node.js lets JS run outside the browser
- 2015 – ES6 brings major improvements
- 2020s – JavaScript powers the full web: frontend, backend, and beyond
Did you know JavaScript was created in just 10 days?
Yes! Brendan Eich developed the first version of JavaScript in only 10 days while working at Netscape in 1995.
From a 10-day hack to one of the most used languages on Earth — JavaScript has come a long way!
Quiz: What year was JavaScript created?
- 1990
- 1995
- 2005
- 2015