JavaScript library
Encyclopedia
A JavaScript library is a library of pre-written JavaScript
which allows for easier development of JavaScript-based applications, especially for AJAX
and other web-centric
technologies.
Some JavaScript libraries, such as YUI, are classified as frameworks
since they exhibit full-stack capabilities and properties not found in general JavaScript libraries.
While JavaScript, as first developed by Netscape (and later Mozilla
), has long had a presence on the Web for many website
s, it gained a particular pitch with the rise of the Web 2.0
era of computing, in which JavaScript became increasingly used for the development of user interfaces for applications, both web-based
and desktop-based. JavaScript was also combined with CSS
to create dynamic web page
s, which have also become popular as a more efficient and accessible alternative to Flash
-based websites.
With the expanded demands for JavaScript, an easier means for programmers to develop such dynamic interfaces was needed. Thus, JavaScript libraries such as Prototype
, script.aculo.us
, Ext Core
, MooTools
and jQuery
and JavaScript widget libraries such as Ext JS
and Dojo Toolkit
were developed, allowing for developers to concentrate more upon more distinctive applications of AJAX. This has led to other companies and groups, such as Microsoft
and Yahoo!
developing their own JavaScript-based user interface libraries, which find their way into the web applications developed by these companies.
Almost all JavaScript libraries are released under either a copycenter or copyleft
license to ensure license-free distribution, usage, and modification.
Some JavaScript libraries allow for easier integration of JavaScript with other web development technologies, such as CSS
, PHP
, Ruby
, and Java
. Many libraries include code to detect differences between runtime environments, and remove the need for applications to allow for such inconsistencies.
JavaScript
JavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
which allows for easier development of JavaScript-based applications, especially for AJAX
Ajax (programming)
Ajax is a group of interrelated web development methods used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications...
and other web-centric
World Wide Web
The World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
technologies.
Some JavaScript libraries, such as YUI, are classified as frameworks
Software framework
In computer programming, a software framework is an abstraction in which software providing generic functionality can be selectively changed by user code, thus providing application specific software...
since they exhibit full-stack capabilities and properties not found in general JavaScript libraries.
While JavaScript, as first developed by Netscape (and later Mozilla
Mozilla Foundation
The Mozilla Foundation is a non-profit organization that exists to support and provide leadership for the open source Mozilla project. The organization sets the policies that govern development, operates key infrastructure and controls trademarks and other intellectual property...
), has long had a presence on the Web for many website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
s, it gained a particular pitch with the rise of the Web 2.0
Web 2.0
The term Web 2.0 is associated with web applications that facilitate participatory information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, and collaboration on the World Wide Web...
era of computing, in which JavaScript became increasingly used for the development of user interfaces for applications, both web-based
Web application
A web application is an application that is accessed over a network such as the Internet or an intranet. The term may also mean a computer software application that is coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.Web applications are...
and desktop-based. JavaScript was also combined with CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
to create dynamic web page
Dynamic web page
A dynamic web page is a kind of web page that has been prepared with fresh information , for each individual viewing. It is not static because it changes with the time , the user , the user interaction , the context A dynamic web page is a kind of web page that has been prepared with fresh...
s, which have also become popular as a more efficient and accessible alternative to Flash
Adobe Flash
Adobe Flash is a multimedia platform used to add animation, video, and interactivity to web pages. Flash is frequently used for advertisements, games and flash animations for broadcast...
-based websites.
With the expanded demands for JavaScript, an easier means for programmers to develop such dynamic interfaces was needed. Thus, JavaScript libraries such as Prototype
Prototype Javascript Framework
The Prototype JavaScript Framework is a JavaScript framework created by Sam Stephenson in February 2005 as part of the foundation for Ajax support in Ruby on Rails. It is implemented as a single file of JavaScript code, usually named prototype.js...
, script.aculo.us
Script.aculo.us
script.aculo.us is a JavaScript library built on the Prototype JavaScript Framework, providing dynamic visual effects and user interface elements via the Document Object Model ....
, Ext Core
Ext (javascript library)
Ext JS is a JavaScript library for building interactive web applications using techniques such as Ajax, DHTML and DOM scripting.Originally built as an add-on library extension of YUI by Jack Slocum, Ext includes interoperability with jQuery and Prototype...
, MooTools
MooTools
MooTools is a lightweight, object-oriented, web-application framework for JavaScript, written in JavaScript. It is released under the free, open-source MIT License...
and jQuery
JQuery
jQuery is a cross-browser JavaScript library designed to simplify the client-side scripting of HTML. It was released in January 2006 at BarCamp NYC by John Resig...
and JavaScript widget libraries such as Ext JS
Ext (javascript library)
Ext JS is a JavaScript library for building interactive web applications using techniques such as Ajax, DHTML and DOM scripting.Originally built as an add-on library extension of YUI by Jack Slocum, Ext includes interoperability with jQuery and Prototype...
and Dojo Toolkit
Dojo Toolkit
Dojo Toolkit is an open source modular JavaScript library designed to ease the rapid development of cross-platform, JavaScript/Ajax-based applications and web sites. It was started by Alex Russell, Dylan Schiemann, David Schontzler, and others in 2004 and is dual-licensed under the modified BSD...
were developed, allowing for developers to concentrate more upon more distinctive applications of AJAX. This has led to other companies and groups, such as Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft Corporation is an American public multinational corporation headquartered in Redmond, Washington, USA that develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of products and services predominantly related to computing through its various product divisions...
and Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
developing their own JavaScript-based user interface libraries, which find their way into the web applications developed by these companies.
Almost all JavaScript libraries are released under either a copycenter or copyleft
Copyleft
Copyleft is a play on the word copyright to describe the practice of using copyright law to offer the right to distribute copies and modified versions of a work and requiring that the same rights be preserved in modified versions of the work...
license to ensure license-free distribution, usage, and modification.
Some JavaScript libraries allow for easier integration of JavaScript with other web development technologies, such as CSS
Cascading Style Sheets
Cascading Style Sheets is a style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics of a document written in a markup language...
, PHP
PHP
PHP is a general-purpose server-side scripting language originally designed for web development to produce dynamic web pages. For this purpose, PHP code is embedded into the HTML source document and interpreted by a web server with a PHP processor module, which generates the web page document...
, Ruby
Ruby (programming language)
Ruby is a dynamic, reflective, general-purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was first developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto...
, and Java
Java (programming language)
Java is a programming language originally developed by James Gosling at Sun Microsystems and released in 1995 as a core component of Sun Microsystems' Java platform. The language derives much of its syntax from C and C++ but has a simpler object model and fewer low-level facilities...
. Many libraries include code to detect differences between runtime environments, and remove the need for applications to allow for such inconsistencies.
See also
- Ajax frameworkAjax frameworkIn web application development, an Ajax framework is a framework which leverages Ajax, a collection of technologies for building dynamic web pages on the client side...
- Widget toolkitWidget toolkitIn computing, a widget toolkit, widget library, or GUI toolkit is a set of widgets for use in designing applications with graphical user interfaces...
- List of JavaScript libraries
- Comparison of JavaScript frameworksComparison of JavaScript frameworks- Rationale :There are many JavaScript frameworks available. The intention of this comparison is to show some examples of JavaScript frameworks with their different features.- Table of Javascript Frameworks :- External links :* * * * * * * *...