JavaScript Versions
What Do We Mean by 'JavaScript Versions'?
Like your phone apps get updated with new features and bug fixes, JavaScript also gets updates to make it better. These updates are called versions. Earlier, JavaScript was simple. But now it has powerful tools to build modern websites and apps easily.
Who Decides These Versions?
A team called TC39 (under ECMA organization) handles JavaScript updates. They create a standard called ECMAScript (short form: ES). So when someone says ES6 or ES2020, they're talking about a specific version of JavaScript.
Popular JavaScript Versions You Should Know
- **ES1 (1997)** – First version of JavaScript. Very basic, used for small tasks.
- **ES5 (2009)** – A stable version. Introduced `strict mode`, JSON support, and array methods like `map`, `filter`, and `forEach`.
- **ES6 (2015)** – A major update! This changed JavaScript forever. It added modern features like `let`, `const`, arrow functions, classes, template strings, promises, modules, and more.
- **ES7 to ES14 (2016–2023)** – Every year, JavaScript gets small improvements. Some useful features: `includes()`, `async/await`, object spread/rest, optional chaining (`?.`), nullish coalescing (`??`), `flat()`, top-level `await`, and more.
Why Should You Care About These Versions?
When you're learning or writing code, it’s helpful to know which features are available in your version of JavaScript. If you know ES6, you already cover most of the modern features used today. Plus, it helps you read and understand others’ code more easily.
How to Check Feature Support in Browsers
Not all browsers support all features. You can check support for any JavaScript feature using this website: https://caniuse.com. It tells you if a feature will work in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.
Summary
- JavaScript is updated regularly with new versions called ECMAScript (ES).
- ES6 (2015) is the most important version — it's the foundation of modern JavaScript.
- After ES6, small improvements are added every year (ES7, ES8, and so on).
- Understanding versions helps you write clean, modern, and browser-compatible code.