Hail to the King, Baby: Why JavaScript Reigns Supreme

JavaScript has been around for over 25 years, yet it’s more popular and dominant than ever. Some love to hate it, others grudgingly put up with it, but let’s cut through the bullshit – JavaScript has firmly cemented itself as the one true king of programming languages. And its reign looks set to continue for a long time yet.

First, there’s the ubiquity. JavaScript is fucking EVERYWHERE. It runs in every browser on every device. It’s the default language of the web. And with Node.js, it’s busted out of the browser to conquer the server side, too. You can’t swing a cat without hitting some JavaScript. It’s like the Starbucks of programming – inescapable but also weirdly comforting in its consistency.

Then there’s the ecosystem. Holy moly, the JavaScript ecosystem is a vast universe unto itself. There are more open-source packages on npm than grains of sand on a beach. Need to left-pad a string? There’s a package for that. Need a framework or library to build an app? Take your pick from React, Vue, Angular, Svelte, and god knows how many more. Half of them will probably be abandoned by the time you finish your project, but hey, that’s just the JavaScript way!

JavaScript is also stupidly versatile and flexible. You can write quick and dirty scripts, complex web apps, mobile apps, desktop apps, server backends, and even control IoT devices, all with JavaScript. Sure, it may not be the most elegant or efficient language for some of those use cases, but that’s not the point. Sometimes quantity has a quality all of its own. And JavaScript has quantity in spades.

The best proof of JavaScript’s kingly status is that it won’t die, no matter how much some devs wish it would. Some have tried to come for the crown, but JavaScript saw them off one by one. Even WebAssembly, which some thought would finally dethrone JS, has effectively been pressed into service as JavaScript’s plucky servant instead. Resistance is futile.

So, let’s give JavaScript its dues. Like it or loathe it, this scrappy little language has fought its way to the top and reigns supreme. It may not be the hero we wanted, but it’s the one we deserved. Long live the king, baby!