What Are The Alternative Languages Compiling To JavaScript?

The arena of JavaScripthas been expanding from server side development to client side web development to mobile apps development to database engines. This unprecedented growth needs to satisfy the demands of every developer from various programming philosophies.

JavaScript is everywhere, whether it is about server side programming, client side programming, or mobile native interfaces. One just needs to write JavaScript code once, and run it on any platform or any browser. This happens to be the current state of affairs, as far as JavaScript is concerned.JavaScript is presently ruling the world of mobile apps development and web development.

The Need for JavaScript Alternative Languages:

The designer of JavaScript might not have imagined the unprecedented growth of JavaScript even in his wildest dreams.

However, the core package that JavaScript presents is far from perfect. It comes with myriad challenges, the most significant of which is the core design of JavaScript itself. The core design does not give one sufficient space to write scalable and manageable JavaScript easily. In order to overcome the limitations and flaws of the base JavaScript, a number of alternative programming languages came to the fore. These include Typescript and CoffeeScript that eventually compile to JavaScript.

Need for Compiling to JavaScript:

Need for compiling to JavaScript arises from the fact that web browsers had been designed to only run JavaScript. Over a period of time, JavaScript gradually became the “undisputed standard” for browser-based programming. Browsers have in-built JavaScript runtime engine that is based on the ESMA script. Once one browser after another began supporting JavaScript, there was no looking back. There was never a point when dropping JavaScript was even a matter of contemplation. Nobody ever thought of shifting to something different, something better, or something with a different design.

Although browsers happened to be the gateway to the growth of JavaScript, JavaScript began ruling the server side programming with the advent of node.js. Moreover, the arrival of the modern day hybrid apps development platforms took JavaScript to newer heights and gradually into the mobile apps development universe. Thus, the growth of JavaScript was furthered.

Languages Compiling to JavaScript:

There are a plenty of JavaScript alternative languages. It can be quite a tedious task to choose and analyze the one perfect for certain programming needs.

Some modern programming languages compiling to JavaScript are:

• Typescript: Created by Anders Hejlsberg of Microsoft, Typescript is one of the most intuitive alternatives to JavaScript. Glimpses of C# can be found in Typescript.  Adding superpowers to JavaScript, Typescript is primarily a superset of JavaScript. It offers additional features such as modules, classes, and types, to name only a few. Moreover, Typescript supports namespaces and interfaces that assist one in writing scalable and maintainable code for large scale and complex applications. One can write JavaScript, build on top of JavaScript, and copy existing JavaScript with the help of the enhanced features that Typescript brings. This enables one to use existing JavaScript frameworks and libraries in their TypeScript project.

• CoffeeScript: It is the most commonly used language that serves as an alternative to JavaScript. It has grown in breadth and width ever since it has been released. It can run on any platform or browser where JavaScript can run. It is available as an npm package and one can download, install, and run it locally in the node server. Those who want to compare between Typescript and CoffeeScript need to remember that Typescript is for classes while CoffeeScript is for masses.

• ClojureScript: It is a popular compiler and is loved by many developers. Google Closure is a set of tools that convert standard JavaScript into high-performing JavaScript. ClojureScript uses the same set of tools. It is run past the same Closure compiler for emitting optimized and compact JavaScript.

• ELM: Although it is not a pure compiler, ELM is interesting. It compiles to JavaScript, CSS, HTML, and is appropriate for developing complete websites or apps rather than compiling to only JavaScript.

As the demand for JavaScript cannot be met only with plain JavaScript itself, these alternate scripting and programming languages compiling to JavaScript have come to the fore over the past few years.