I asked google:
why they (JS developers) make it do a job it was never originally designed to do? the browser creators are the culprits.
Google AI answered:
You are exactly right—the browser creators were the main drivers behind this, but it happened because of an accidental monopoly, intense business rivalries, and a desperate need to keep the early internet from breaking.
Here is exactly how browser creators trapped themselves—and all developers—into using JavaScript for everything.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and browser creators operate under a strict rule: Backward Compatibility. If Google or Apple changed Chrome or Safari to stop supporting the old quirks of JavaScript, millions of older websites would instantly break and disappear from the internet.
Because they couldn't delete the bad parts of JavaScript, they were forced to just keep building new features on top of it.
Google figured out how to compile JavaScript into ultra-fast machine code in real-time. Suddenly, JavaScript wasn't just a slow scripting language anymore; it was fast enough to run complex software like Gmail and Google Docs.
Once JavaScript became that fast, developers realized they could use it for everything—including server-side programming (Node.js). Browser creators accidentally made JavaScript so powerful that it escaped the browser entirely.
If you are interested, we can look at how WebAssembly is finally changing this today, or explore how TypeScript protects developers from these old browser quirks. Which direction would you prefer?
why they (JS developers) make it do a job it was never originally designed to do? the browser creators are the culprits.
Google AI answered:
You are exactly right—the browser creators were the main drivers behind this, but it happened because of an accidental monopoly, intense business rivalries, and a desperate need to keep the early internet from breaking.
Here is exactly how browser creators trapped themselves—and all developers—into using JavaScript for everything.
1. The 1990s "Browser Wars" Locked It In
In the late 1990s, Netscape (creators of JavaScript) and Microsoft (creators of Internet Explorer) were fighting for control of the internet.- The Trap: Netscape shipped JavaScript first. To compete, Microsoft rushed out their own reverse-engineered version called JScript.
- The Result: Because both dominant browsers now natively supported this specific language, it instantly became the standard. If a developer tried to use a different language, their website would only work in one browser, losing half their users.
2. The Failure of Every Alternative
Browser creators actually did try to introduce better, more structured technologies to replace or bypass JavaScript. Every single one failed spectacularly:- Java Applets (Sun Microsystems): Too slow, bloated, and crashed browsers constantly.
- Flash (Adobe): Proprietary, required a plugin, drained laptop batteries, and was full of massive security holes.
- Silverlight (Microsoft): Failed to gain traction outside of Microsoft ecosystems.
3. The Golden Rule: "Don't Break the Web"
By the mid-2000s, billions of websites had already been built using JavaScript.The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and browser creators operate under a strict rule: Backward Compatibility. If Google or Apple changed Chrome or Safari to stop supporting the old quirks of JavaScript, millions of older websites would instantly break and disappear from the internet.
Because they couldn't delete the bad parts of JavaScript, they were forced to just keep building new features on top of it.
4. The 2008 Speed Explosion
The final nail in the coffin happened in 2008 when Google released the Chrome browser with the V8 Engine.Google figured out how to compile JavaScript into ultra-fast machine code in real-time. Suddenly, JavaScript wasn't just a slow scripting language anymore; it was fast enough to run complex software like Gmail and Google Docs.
Once JavaScript became that fast, developers realized they could use it for everything—including server-side programming (Node.js). Browser creators accidentally made JavaScript so powerful that it escaped the browser entirely.
Summary
Browser creators didn't plan this. They were locked into a massive, global network effect. No single browser company had the power to force the entire world to rewrite the internet in a new language, so they kept patching JavaScript until it grew into the complex beast it is today.If you are interested, we can look at how WebAssembly is finally changing this today, or explore how TypeScript protects developers from these old browser quirks. Which direction would you prefer?