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JavaScript Timeline

A timeline of key milestones in JavaScript's history from 1995 to the present.

Short explanation

This timeline highlights pivotal moments: JavaScript's creation (1995), standardization (1997+), the rise of AJAX (2005), ES6 (2015), and the modern tooling ecosystem that followed.

Short timeline

  • 1995: Brendan Eich creates JavaScript at Netscape.
  • 1996–1997: Early standardization efforts and browser differences.
  • 2005: AJAX popularized dynamic web applications.
  • 2009: Node.js brings JavaScript to the server.
  • 2015: ES6 introduced modules, arrow functions, classes, and more.
  • 2016+: Rapid additions and tooling growth (bundlers, transpilers).

Real-world context

Knowing when certain features arrived helps you weigh compatibility trade-offs: for example, older browsers need transpilation for modern syntax; Node versions determine available language features.

Diagram

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Related

🔗 Related:

FAQ

Q: Is ES6 the same as modern JS?

A: ES6 is a major milestone; modern JS refers to ES6+ features and the ecosystem that leverages them.