Why does JavaScript have such a confusing API?

Question

I was wondering why JavaScript has such a confusing API. It is not consistent across browsers, there is a different way to get the value from each type of form input, and it is unforgiving of mistakes. jQuery has changed my life because its API is so much easier. Why did the creators of JavaScript not set up the API like that in the first place?

Answer 1

I think most of it is the remnant of the browser war. Javascript had a very troublesome history, made of a total war between microsoft and netscape, with Sun involved as well. Javascript is actually a very nice language. It has some critical design mistakes, but you can work around them. As for the API, you can use a good wrapping library that hides all the complexity and uses the most appropriate API.

One important suggestion, if I may. Don't fight it, nor try to use it masked as something else. Embrace it even with its defects. Once you know them, you won't step on them anymore, or if something is fishy you will find the problem easily.

Answer 2

I'll bite. Check out Douglas Crockford's videos (http://javascript.crockford.com/), he does a good job explaining why some of JavaScript is in the situation that it's in. (http://yuiblog.com/blog/2007/01/24/video-crockford-tjpl/)

Answer 3

The JavaScript API, itself, is consistent between browsers (and is defined by ECMA, though originally developed by Netscape). The difference between browsers is the document object model (DOM). The DOM was developed independently by the different browsers, originally IE and Netscape, but now IE, Mozilla and others. The W3C has joined to try to consolidate the differences and create a common standard. For backward compatibility, the old differences remain. And, yes, jQuery has gone a long way toward making the DOM easier.

Answer 4

Creators of Javascript did not setup the API, since Javascript is a language, not an API.

What you are refering to is the Document Object Model (DOM) which is the document manipulation API. It is a standard specified by the W3C and its behaviour should be consistent among browsers.

Unfortunately, some parts were badly specified, some other parts are badly implemented by browser vendors. Additionally, vendors extend this API with proprietary extensions that may never be added in the standard but that are very popular (like document.all in its time).

That's why today's API in browsers are so inconsistent.

Answer 5

This doesn't directly answer your question, but:

A lot of people are bothered by the between-browser inconsistencies. While a few folks become really good at ironing out the differences in their own JavaScript code, most can't afford to spare the time. This is why there is such a profusion of frameworks available to do the dirty work for you. JQuery is the most popular of these, I think, and I'd recommend it to you as an alternative to swallowing a lot of Aspirin for your headaches.