JavaScript is a high-level, interpreted programming language. JavaScript is a prototype-based, function-first language. It is a multi-paradigm language that supports object-oriented programming, imperative programming, and functional programming. It has been standardized by ECMA (European Computer Manufacturers Association) through ECMAScript.

JavaScript was first designed and implemented in 1995 by Brendan Eich of Netscape in the Netscape Navigator browser.

Relationship between JavaScript and ECMAScript

JavaScript is a scripting language and ECMAScript is a specification. JavaScript is a scripting language based on the ECMAScript specification.

JavaScript is just one implementation of ECMAScript, and there are others.

ECMAScript (ES) version introduction

The following ES abbreviation stands for: ECMAScript

time version instructions
In July 1997 ES1.0 release In July of that year, the ECMA262 standard was introduced
In June 1998 ES2.0 release The revision fully conforms to ISO/IEC 16262 international standard.
In December 1999 ES3.0 release It has become the prevailing standard for JavaScript and is widely supported
In October 2007 ES4.0 draft is released The major manufacturers were divided in their opinions and the plan was not adopted
In July 2008 Release ES3.1 and rename it ECMAScript 5 Abolish ECMAScript 4.0, so version 4.0 does not exist
In December 2009 ESt 5.0 is released
In June 2011 ES5.1 release This version became an ISO international standard (ISO/IEC 16262:2011)
In December 2013 ES6 draft is released
In June 2015 ES6 officially released and renamed “ECMAScript 2015” The TC39 committee decided to release a version of ECMAScript each year
In June 2016 ES7 released, aka “ECMAScript 2016”
In June 2017 ES8 released, aka “ECMAScript 2017”
In June 2018 ES9 released, aka “ECMAScript 2018”
In June 2019 ES10 released, aka “ECMAScript 2019”

Address of each version specification

  • ES6
  • ES7
  • ES8
  • ES9
  • ES10

About the project github address:

  • ECMA TC39
  • ECMA 262
  • proposals

Other:

Check out the latest version of ECMA-262

Supplementary notes on professional terms

  • Ecma International is an International membership organization for information and telecommunications standards. Before 1994, it was known as the European Computer Manufacturers Association.

  • Technical Committee 39(TC39): The 39th Committee of Technical Experts of ESMA, which is responsible for developing ECMAScript standards. Its members include Microsoft, Mozilla, Google and other large companies.

  • ISO: International Organization for Standardization

  • The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), founded in 1906, is the world’s first international standardization body responsible for international standardization in the fields of electrical and electronic engineering.

  • ISO/IEC 16262:2011: ECMAScript language specification that conforms to both ISO and IEC standards. It has been revised by ISO/IEC 22275:2018.

  • ECMAScript(ES) : A scripting language specification developed by Ecma International (formerly the European Computer Manufacturers Association) in accordance with the ECMA-262 and ISO/IEC 16262 standards.

  • Ecma-262: Defines a set of keywords supported by ECMAScript that identify the beginning and end of ECMAScript statements. By regulation, keywords are reserved and cannot be used as variable or function names.

  • ECMA 402: Develop some international API standards based on ECMAScript 5 or later.

  • ECMA 404: JSON specification.

  • ECMA 414: Specifies which specifications are ECMAScript related. It currently contains 262,402 and 404.