JavaScript is not Java: Difference between revisions

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===A source of much confusion===
[[JavaScript]] is a completely separate technology from [[Java]]. Java was the "in thing" back in the days when [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendan_Eich Brendan Eich] at [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netscape_Communications_Corporation Netscape] created a programming language that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so unfortunately they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.
JavaScript is a completely separate technology from Java. Unfortunately, Java was the ‘in thing’ back in the days when Netscape created a technology that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.


A JavaScript script is a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data.
A JavaScript script is usually a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data. Support for JavaScript is built into all XUL-based applications such as [[Firefox]], [[Thunderbird]] and [[Mozilla Suite]]. (Note that JavaScript is actually a complete programming language, and it is one of the languages in which Mozilla products are written.)


Java is a fully-fledged programming language which is used to create complicated things like games. These programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’.
Java is a programming language used to create stand-alone software applications (including games). Java programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’.
Java applications and applets require additional software (the Java Runtime Environment) to be installed on your system.


If you are having problems with JavaScript or Java in your Mozilla application, visit the pages below.
For more information about running these technologies in your Mozilla product you should consult the [[JavaScript]] and [[Java]] articles.


===Related pages===
See also the [http://www.wikipedia.org/ Wikipedia] articles on [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript JavaScript] and [http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_programming_language Java].
* [[JavaScript]]
 
* [[Java]]
[[Category:General concepts]]

Latest revision as of 20:56, 31 July 2006

JavaScript is a completely separate technology from Java. Java was the "in thing" back in the days when Brendan Eich at Netscape created a programming language that was originally going to be called LiveScript, so unfortunately they decided to rename it from LiveScript to JavaScript in the hope of catching the media’s interest.

A JavaScript script is usually a small series of commands that are often embedded in a webpage to do things like create fly-out menus, invoke pop-up windows, and validate form data. Support for JavaScript is built into all XUL-based applications such as Firefox, Thunderbird and Mozilla Suite. (Note that JavaScript is actually a complete programming language, and it is one of the languages in which Mozilla products are written.)

Java is a programming language used to create stand-alone software applications (including games). Java programs can also be embedded in webpages, in which case they are called ‘applets’. Java applications and applets require additional software (the Java Runtime Environment) to be installed on your system.

For more information about running these technologies in your Mozilla product you should consult the JavaScript and Java articles.

See also the Wikipedia articles on JavaScript and Java.

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