JavaScript library
Web Design & Development Guide
JavaScript library
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A JavaScript library is a
library of pre-written JavaScript controls which allow for easier
development of JavaScript-based applications, especially for AJAX and
other web-centric technologies.
While JavaScript, as first developed by Netscape (and later Mozilla), has long had a presence on the Web for many
websites, it
gained a particular pitch with the rise of the
Web 2.0 era
of computing, in which JavaScript, combined with multiple flavors of
XML, 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 pages, which have also become popular as a more 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
JQuery 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.
Furthermore, some JavaScript libraries allow for easier ties between
JavaScript and other languages, such as
CSS, PHP, and Java. This is to ensure that JavaScript applications will be able to run
seamlessly with other, lower-level languages.
External links
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