Client-Side Programming:

the JavaScript Language

JavaScript History and
Versions
JavaScript was introduced as part of the
Netscape 2.0 browser
Microsoft soon released its own version
called JScript
ECMA developed a standard language
known as ECMAScript
ECMAScript Edition 3 is widely supported
and is what we will call JavaScript
2
JavaScript Introduction
Lets write a Hello World! JavaScript
program
Problem: the JavaScript language itself has
no input/output statements(!)
Solution: Most browsers provide de facto
standard I/O methods
alert: pops up alert box containing text
prompt: pops up window where user can enter
text
3
JavaScript Introduction
File JSHelloWorld.js:

HTML document executing this code:

script element used
to load and execute
JavaScript code
4
JavaScript Introduction
Web page and alert box generated by
JSHelloWorld.html document and
JSHelloWorld.js code:
5
JavaScript Introduction
Prompt window example:
6
JavaScript Properties
Note that JavaScript code did not need to be
compiled
JavaScript is an interpreted language
Portion of browser software that reads and
executes JavaScript is an interpreter
Interpreted vs. compiled languages:
Advantage: simplicity
Disadvantage: efficiency
7
JavaScript Properties
JavaScript is a scripting language: designed
to be executed within a larger software
environment
JavaScript can be run within a variety of
environments:
Web browsers (our focus in next chapter)
Web servers
Application containers (general-purpose
programming)
8
JavaScript Properties
Components of a JavaScript implementation:
Scripting engine: interpreter plus required
ECMAScript functionality (core library)
Hosting environment: functionality specific to
environment
Example: browsers provide alert and prompt
All hosting environment functionality provided via
objects
9
JavaScript Properties
All data in JavaScript is an object or a
property of an object
Types of JavaScript objects
Native: provided by scripting engine
If automatically constructed before program
execution, known as a built-in object (ex: window)
Host: provided by host environment
alert and prompt are host objects
10
Developing JavaScript
Software
Writing JavaScript code
Any text editor (e.g., Notepad, Emacs)
Specialized software (e.g., MS Visual InterDev)
Executing JavaScript
Load into browser (need HTML document)
Browser detects syntax and run-time errors
Mozilla: JavaScript console lists errors
IE6: Exclamation icon and pop-up window
11
Developing JavaScript
Software
Mozilla JavaScript console (Tools | Web
Development | JavaScript Console):
12
Developing JavaScript
Software
IE6 error window:
Error indicator;
double-clicking icon
opens error window
Click to see
error messages
13
Developing JavaScript
Software
Firefox (2.0 and up): the JavaScript console
has been renamed Error Console
(Tools|Error Console) and shows JavaScript
errors, CSS errors etc
Enhancements available as extensions (e.g.
Console
2
, firebug)
Chrome (4) has excellent dev support
(developer|JavaScript Console)
IE8: Tools|Developer tools
14
Developing JavaScript
Software
Debugging
Apply generic techniques: desk check, add debug
output (alerts)
Use specialized JavaScript debuggers: later
Re-executing
Overwrite .js file
Reload (Mozilla)/Refresh (IE) HTML document
that loads the file
15
Basic JavaScript Syntax
16
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Notice that there is no main() function/method
17
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Comments like Java/C++ (/* */ also allowed)
18
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Variable declarations:
- Not required
- Data type not specified
19
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Semi-colons are usually
not required, but always
allowed at statement end
20
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Arithmetic operators same as Java/C++
21
Basic JavaScript Syntax
String concatenation operator
as well as addition
22
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Arguments can be any expressions
Argument lists are comma-separated
23
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Object dot notation for method calls as in Java/C++
24
Basic JavaScript Syntax
25
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Many control constructs and use of
{ } identical to Java/C++
26
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Most relational operators syntactically
same as Java/C++
27
Basic JavaScript Syntax
Automatic type conversion:
guess is String,
thinkingOf is Number
28
Variables and Data Types
Type of a variable is dynamic: depends on the type
of data it contains
JavaScript has six data types:
Number
String
Boolean (values true and false)
Object
Null (only value of this type is null)
Undefined (value of newly created variable)
Primitive data types: all but Object
29
Variables and Data Types
typeof operator returns string related to
data type
Syntax: typeof expression
Example:
30
Variables and Data Types
31
Variables and Data Types
Common automatic type conversions:
Compare String and Number: String value
converted to Number
Condition of if or while converted to Boolean
Array accessor (e.g., 3 in records[3])
converted to String

32
Variables and Data Types
33
Variables and Data Types
34
Variables and Data Types
Special Number values (Not a Number and number too large to represent)
35
Variables and Data Types
36
Variables and Data Types
Syntax rules for names (identifiers):
Must begin with letter or underscore ( _ )
Must contain only letters, underscores, and digits
(or certain other characters)
Must not be a reserved word
37
Variables and Data Types
38
Variables and Data Types
A variable will automatically be created if a
value is assigned to an undeclared identifier:


Recommendation: declare all variables
Facilitates maintenance
Avoids certain exceptions
var is not
required
39
JavaScript Statements
Expression statement: any statement that
consists entirely of an expression
Expression: code that represents a value

Block statement: one or more statements
enclosed in { } braces
Keyword statement: statement beginning
with a keyword, e.g., var or if
40
JavaScript Statements
var syntax:

Java-like keyword statements:
Comma-separated declaration list with
optional initializers
41
JavaScript Statements
JavaScript
keyword
statements
are very similar
to Java with
small exceptions
42
JavaScript Statements
43
JavaScript Statements
44
JavaScript Statements
45
JavaScript Operators
Operators are used to create compound
expressions from simpler expressions
Operators can be classified according to the
number of operands involved:
Unary: one operand (e.g., typeof i)
Prefix or postfix (e.g., ++i or i++ )
Binary: two operands (e.g., x + y)
Ternary: three operands (conditional operator)
46
JavaScript Operators
47
JavaScript Operators
Associativity:
Assignment, conditional, and prefix unary
operators are right associative: equal-precedence
operators are evaluated right-to-left:

Other operators are left associative: equal-
precedence operators are evaluated left-to-right

48
JavaScript Operators:
Automatic Type Conversion
Binary operators +, -, *, /, % convert both
operands to Number
Exception: If one of operands of + is String then
the other is converted to String
Relational operators <, >, <=, >= convert
both operands to Number
Exception: If both operands are String, no
conversion is performed and lexicographic string
comparison is performed
49
JavaScript Operators:
Automatic Type Conversion
Operators ==, != convert both operands to Number
Exception: If both operands are String, no conversion is
performed (lex. comparison)
Exception: values of Undefined and Null are equal(!)
Exception: instance of Date built-in class is converted
to String (and host object conversion is implementation
dependent)
Exception: two Objects are equal only if they are
references to the same object
50
JavaScript Operators:
Automatic Type Conversion
Operators ===, !== are strict:
Two operands are === only if they are of the
same type and have the same value
Same value for objects means that the
operands are references to the same object
Unary +, - convert their operand to Number

Logical &&, ||, ! convert their operands to
Boolean
51
JavaScript Numbers
Syntactic representations of Number
Integer (42) and decimal (42.0)
Scientific notation (-12.4e12)
Hexadecimal (0xfa0)
Internal representation
Approximately 16 digits of precision
Approximate range of magnitudes
Smallest: 10
-323
Largest: 10
308
(Infinity if literal is larger)
52
JavaScript Strings
String literals can be single- or double-
quoted
Common escape characters within Strings
\n newline
\ escaped double quote (also \ for single)
\\ escaped backslash
\uxxxx arbitrary Unicode 16-bit code point
(xs are four hex digits)
53
JavaScript Functions
Function declaration syntax
54
JavaScript Functions
Function declaration syntax
Declaration
always begins
with keyword
function,
no return type
55
JavaScript Functions
Function declaration syntax
Identifier representing
functions name
56
JavaScript Functions
Function declaration syntax
Formal parameter list
57
JavaScript Functions
Function declaration syntax
One or more statements representing
function body
58
JavaScript Functions
Function call syntax
59
JavaScript Functions
Function call syntax
Function call is an expression, can
be used on right-hand side of assignments,
as expression statement, etc.
60
JavaScript Functions
Function call syntax
Function name
61
JavaScript Functions
Function call syntax
Argument list
62
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics:
63
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics:
Argument value(s)
associated with corresponding
formal parameters
64
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics:
Expression(s) in body
evaluated as if formal
parameters are variables
initialized by argument
values
65
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics:
If final statement executed
is return-value, then value of
its expression becomes value
of the function call
66
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics:
Value of function call is then used
in larger expression containing
function call.
67
JavaScript Functions
Function call semantics details:
Arguments:
May be expressions:
Objects effectively passed by reference
Formal parameters:
May be assigned values, argument is not affected
Return value:
If last statement executed is not return-value, then
returned value is of type Undefined

68
JavaScript Functions
Number mismatch between argument list and
formal parameter list:
More arguments: excess ignored
Fewer arguments: remaining parameters are
Undefined
69
JavaScript Functions
Local vs. global variables
Global variable: declared outside any function
70
JavaScript Functions
Local vs. global variables
Local
variable
declared
within
a function
71
JavaScript Functions
Local vs. global variables
Local
declaration
shadows
corresponding
global
declaration
Output is 6
72
JavaScript Functions
Local vs. global variables
Output is 7
In browsers,
global
variables
(and functions)
are stored as properties
of the window built-in object.
73
JavaScript Functions
Recursive functions
Recursion (function calling itself, either directly
or indirectly) is supported
C++ static variables are not supported
Order of declaration of mutually recursive
functions is unimportant (no need for prototypes
as in C++)
74
JavaScript Functions
Explicit type conversion supplied by built-in
functions
Boolean(), String(), Number()
Each takes a single argument, returns value
representing argument converted according to
type-conversion rules given earlier
75
Object Introduction
An object is a set of properties
A property consists of a unique (within an
object) name with an associated value
The type of a property depends on the type of
its value and can vary dynamically
prop is Boolean
prop is now String
prop is now Number
76
Object Introduction
There are no classes in JavaScript
Instead, properties can be created and deleted
dynamically
Create an object o1
Create property testing
Delete testing property
77
Object Creation
Objects are created using new expression

A constructor is a function
When called via new expression, a new empty
Object is created and passed to the constructor
along with the argument values
Constructor performs initialization on object
Can add properties and methods to object
Can add object to an inheritance hierarchy
Constructor and argument list
78
Object Creation
The Object() built-in constructor
Does not add any properties or methods directly
to the object
Adds object to hierarchy that defines default
toString() and valueOf() methods (used
for conversions to String and Number, resp.)
79
Property Creation
Assignment to a non-existent (even if
inherited) property name creates the property:

Object initializer notation can be used to
create an object (using Object()
constructor) and one or more properties in a
single statement:
80
Enumerating Properties
Special form of for statement used to iterate
through all properties of an object:
Produces three
alert boxes;
order of names
is implementation-dependent.
81
Accessing Property Values
The JavaScript object dot notation is actually
shorthand for a more general associative array
notation in which Strings are array indices:

Expressions can supply property names:
Converted to String
if necessary
82
Object Values
Value of Object is reference to object:
83
Object Values
Value of Object is reference to object:
o2 is another
name for o1
84
Object Values
Value of Object is reference to object:
o1 is
changed
85
Object Values
Value of Object is reference to object:
Output is Hello World!
86
Object Values
Object argument values are references
...}
87
Object Values
Object argument values are references
88
Object Values
Object argument values are references
89
Object Values
Object argument values are references
90
Object Values
Object argument values are references
91
Object Methods
JavaScript functions are stored as values of
type Object
A function declaration creates a function
value and stores it in a variable (property of
window) having the same name as the
function
A method is an object property for which the
value is a function
92
Object Methods
93
Object Methods
Creates global variable named leaf with function value
94
Object Methods
Creates isLeaf() method that is
defined by leaf() function
95
Object Methods
Refers to object that owns method when
leaf() is called as a method
96
Object Methods
97
Object Methods
Creates two objects each with
method isLeaf()
98
Object Methods
Calls to isLeaf() method
99
Object Methods
Original version: leaf() can be called as
function, but we only want a method
100
Object Methods
Alternative:
Function expression syntactically
the same as function declaration but
does not produce a global variable.
101
Object Methods
Alternative
102
Object Constructors
User-defined constructor is just a function
called using new expression:


Object created using a constructor is known
as an instance of the constructor
Constructor
103
Object Constructors
Original
function
Function
intended
to be used
as constructor
104
Object Constructors
Object is
constructed
automatically
by new
expression
105
Object Constructors
Object
referenced
using this
keyword
106
Object Constructors
No need
to return
initialized
object
107
Object Constructors
Object created using a constructor is known
as an instance of the constructor


instanceof operator can be used to test
this relationship:

Instances of BTNode
Evaluates to true
108
JavaScript Arrays
The Array built-in object can be used to
construct objects with special properties and
that inherit various methods
ary1
length (0)
toString()
sort()
shift()

Properties

Inherited
methods
109
JavaScript Arrays
The Array built-in object can be used to
construct objects with special properties and
that inherit various methods
ary2
length (3)
0 (4)
1 (true)
2 (OK)
toString()

Elements
of array
Accessing array elements:
ary2[1]
ary2[1]
ary2.1
Must follow identifier
syntax rules
110
JavaScript Arrays
The Array constructor is indirectly called if
an array initializer is used


Array initializiers can be used to create
multidimensional arrays
ttt[1][2]
111
JavaScript Arrays
Changing the number of elements:

ary2
length (4)
0 (4)
1 (true)
2 (OK)
3 (-12.6)
toString()

Creates a new element dynamically,
increases value of length
112
JavaScript Arrays
Changing the number of elements:

ary2
length (2)
0 (4)
1 (true)
toString()

Decreasing length can delete elements
113
JavaScript Arrays
Value of length is not necessarily the same
as the actual number of elements
var ary4 = new Array(200);
ary4
length (200)
toString()
sort()
shift()

Calling constructor with single argument
sets length, does not create elements
114
JavaScript Arrays
115
JavaScript Arrays
116
JavaScript Arrays
Argument to sort
is a function
117
JavaScript Arrays
Return negative if first value should
come before second after sorting
118
JavaScript Arrays
Add element with value 2.5 at
index 2, shift existing elements
119
JavaScript Arrays
Remove 3 elements starting
at index 5
120
JavaScript Arrays
121
JavaScript Arrays
push() adds an element to the end of the
array
122
JavaScript Arrays
pop() deletes and returns last
element of the array
123
JavaScript Arrays
Use shift() instead to implement queue
124
Built-in Objects
The global object
Named window in browsers
Has properties representing all global variables
Other built-in objects are also properties of the
global object
Ex: initial value of window.Array is Array object
Has some other useful properties
Ex: window.Infinity represents Number value
125
Built-in Objects
The global object and variable resolution:



This is why we can refer to built-in objects
(Object, Array, etc.) without prefixing
with window.
i = 42;
What does i refer to?
1. Search for local variable or formal parameter
named i
2. If none found, see if global object (window)
has property named i
126
Built-in Objects
String(), Boolean(), and Number()
built-in functions can be called as
constructors, created wrapped Objects:

Instances inherit valueOf() method that
returns wrapped value of specified type:
Output is number
127
Built-in Objects
Other methods inherited by Number
instances:

Outputs

5.63

5.63e+0

101.101
Base 2
128
Built-in Objects
Properties provided by Number built-in
object:
Number.MIN_VALUE: smallest (absolute
value) possible JavaScript Number value
Number.MAX_VALUE: largest possible
JavaScript Number value
129
Built-in Objects
130
Built-in Objects
Instances of String have a length
property (number of characters)
JavaScript automatically wraps a primitive
value of type Number or String if the value is
used as an object:

Output is Str
131
Built-in Objects
The Date() built-in constructor can be used to
create Date instances that represent the current date
and time

Often used to display local date and/or time in Web
pages

Other methods: toLocaleDateString() ,
toLocaleTimeString(), etc.


var now = new Date();
window.alert(Current date and time:
+ now.toLocaleString());
132
Built-in Objects
valueOf() method inherited by Date
instances returns integer representing number
of milliseconds since midnight 1/1/1970
Automatic type conversion allows Date
instances to be treated as Numbers:
133
Built-in Objects
Math object has methods for performing
standard mathematical calculations:

Also has properties with approximate values
for standard mathematical quantities, e.g., e (
Math.E ) and (Math.PI)
134
Built-in Objects
135
JavaScript Regular Expressions
A regular expression is a particular
representation of a set of strings
Ex: JavaScript regular expression representing
the set of syntactically-valid US telephone area
codes (three-digit numbers):

\d represents the set {0, 1, , 9}
Concatenated regular expressions represent the
concatenation (Cartesian product) of their sets
136
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
137
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
Variable containing string to be tested
138
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
Regular expression as String (must escape \)
139
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
Built-in constructor
140
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
Method inherited by RegExp instances:
returns true if the argument contains a
substring in the set of strings represented by
the regular expression
141
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript
Represents beginning of string Represents end of string
This expression matches only strings with
exactly three digits (no other characters,
even white space)
142
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Using regular expressions in JavaScript


Alternate syntax:
Represents all strings that begin
with three digits
Regular expression literal.
Do not escape \.
143
Simplest regular expression is any character
that is not a special character:

Ex: _ is a regular expression representing {_}
Backslash-escaped special character is also a
regular expression
Ex: \$ represents {$}
JavaScript Regular Expressions
144
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Special character . (dot) represents any
character except a line terminator
Several escape codes are regular expressions
representing sets of chars:
145
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Three types of operations can be used to
combine simple regular expressions into more
complex expressions:
Concatenation
Union (|)
Kleene star (*)
XML DTD content specification syntax
based in part on regular expressions
146
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Concatenation
Example:
String consisting entirely of four characters:
Digit followed by
A . followed by
A single space followed by
Any word character
Quantifier shorthand syntax for concatenation:

147
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Union
Ex:
Union of set of strings represented by regular
expressions
Set of single-character strings that are either a digit or
a space character
Character class: shorthand for union of one
or more ranges of characters
Ex: set of lower case letters
Ex: the \w escape code class
148
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Unions of concatenations

Note that concatenation has higher precedence
than union
Optional regular expression

149
JavaScript Regular Expressions
Kleene star
Ex: any number of digits (including none)
Ex:
Strings consisting of only word characters
String must contain both a digit and a letter (in either
order)
150