JavaScript vs jQuery

Research Report

Table of Contents
What is JavaScript
Difference between Java and JavaScript
Features of JavaScript
Benefits of JavaScript
Limitations of JavaScript
What is jQuery
Features of jQuery
Benefits
Limitations
What to use?

JavaScript

Developed by NetScape Corp.

(1995)
Cross Platform
Object Oriented (No Classes)
Prototypal Inheritance
Scripting
Client Side
Server Side
Interpreted language (Optional
JIT compiler
Open License
Most Popular

JavaScript and Java are

different

Developed by Sun
Microsystems
Programming
Language
Class based object
model
Complex
Static Typing
Compilation
Required

Developed by
Netscape Corp.
Scripting
Language
Prototype based
object model
Simple
Dynamic Typing
Optional
Compilation (JIT)

Features
Handles Dynamic Effect
Detects users browser, OS, screen
size etc.
Perform simple calculation on client
side
Validating user input
Date and time Handling
Generate HTML code

Advantages

Client Side execution Less strain on the

web server as it saves bandwidth and
processing
Easy Language Uses DOM model and
syntax is like english
Fast Result and processing happens on
User computer
Extended Functionality 3rd party addons like GreaseMonkey help
implementation of segments of codes
Cross Platform supported by most of the

Limitations
Security Malicious code can exploit users
system
Rendering Variations Different web
browsers render JavaScript differently.
Testing needs to be done for each web
browser.
Limited Access Cannot use printer or file
system directly on users systems or clientside LAN.
Multiprocessing and Multithreading cannot
be implemented

jQuery
Released by John
Resig (2006)
JavaScript Library
Write Less, do more.
Feature rich, fast
and compact
Most Popular
JavaScript Library

Features
DOM Manipulation Selecting, traversing
and modifying content
Event handling Capture wide variety of
events
AJAX Support Responsive and Feature
Rich
Animation
Plugin Support
Multi browser

Benefits
Lightweight
Ease of Use
Latest technology - CSS3
selectors and basic XPath syntax
Less Coding
Open Source Community
Documentation and Tutorials

Limitations
Limited functionality
jQuery file required

Which to be used
jQuery is well compiled and well
organized
jQuery requires less testing
Less coding and debugging
It is faster than JavaScript
jQuery Supports multi browser
automatically.
But due to limited functionality of jQuery,
sometime JavaScript is required.