The discussion in JavaScriptSucks included some conversation about the JavaScriptDesignPurpose. This page attempts to help clarify that conversation.

I interpret the following to be the JavaScriptDesignPurpose (excerpted from the more extensive quote that follows):

	 :	ECMAScript was originally designed to be a Web scripting language, providing a mechanism to enliven Web pages in browsers and to perform server computation as part of a Web-based client-server architecture.

From section 4 of the EcmaScript Language Specification, 3rd Edition, December 1999 (http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/files/ecma-st/Ecma-262.pdf):

	 :	'''4 Overview'''

	 :	A '''''scripting Language''''' is a programming language that is used to manipulate, customise, and automate the facilities of an existing system. In such systems, useful functionality is already available through a user interface, and the scripting language is a mechanism for exposing that functionality to program control. In this way, the existing system is said to provide a host environment of objects and facilities, which completes the capabilities of the scripting language.

	 :	ECMAScript was originally designed to be a '''''Web scripting language''''', providing a mechanism to enliven Web pages in browsers and to perform server computation as part of a Web-based client-server architecture.

	 :	'''4.1 Web Scripting'''

	 :	A web browser provides an ECMAScript host environment for client-side computation including, for instance, objects that represent windows, menus, pop-ups, dialog boxes, text areas, anchors, frames, history, cookies, and input/output. Further, the host environment provides a means to attach scripting code to events such as change of focus, page and image loading, unloading, error and abort, selection, form submission, mouse actions. Scripting code appears within the HTML and the displayed page is a combination of user interface elements and fixed and computed text and images. The scripting code is reactive to user interaction and there is no need for a main program.

(...)
	 :	Each Web browser and server that supports ECMAScript supplies its own host environment, completing the ECMAScript execution environment.

----
See also ScriptingLanguage
----
CategoryJavaScript