How JavaScript Works: JS Engine & Runtime
environment
1. JavaScript in the Browser:
o When you visit a webpage, your browser
(like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) loads the
HTML and CSS to structure and style the
page.
o If the page includes JavaScript (either
directly in the HTML file or linked as a
separate .js file), the loads and runs that
JavaScript code using its built-in JavaScript
engine (like V8 in Chrome or
SpiderMonkey in Firefox).
2. JavaScript Engine:
o What It Is: A JavaScript engine is a
program inside the browser that reads
and executes JavaScript code. Every
major web browser has a built-in
JavaScript engine.
o Examples: V8 (Chrome, Node.js),
SpiderMonkey (Firefox), Chakra (Edge),
and JavaScriptCore (Safari).
3. Execution Process:
o Parsing: The JavaScript engine first reads
(or "parses") the JavaScript code. It
checks the syntax to make sure
everything is written correctly.
o Compilation: Unlike some languages that
are compiled ahead of time (like C++),
JavaScript is often compiled just before or
even during its execution, in a process
called Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation.
o Execution: After parsing and compiling,
the engine runs the JavaScript code. It
turns the code into machine-readable
instructions that the computer's processor
can understand and execute.
4. Event Loop and Asynchronous Behavior:
o Single-Threaded: JavaScript runs in a
single thread, meaning it can only do one
thing at a time.
o Event Loop: To handle multiple tasks (like
user inputs, timers, or fetching data from
a server), JavaScript uses an event loop.
The event loop constantly checks if there
are tasks (events) to be executed. If there
are, it runs them one by one.
o Asynchronous Tasks: JavaScript can
perform certain tasks asynchronously,
meaning it can start them, then continue
with other work, and come back to finish
the task once it’s done. Examples include
making network requests, reading files, or
waiting for user interactions.
5. Interacting with the Webpage (DOM):
o DOM (Document Object Model): The DOM
is a structured representation of the HTML
elements on a webpage. JavaScript can
interact with the DOM to change the
content, structure, and style of the
webpage dynamically.
o How It Works: JavaScript can select
elements on the page (like buttons or
input fields), change their properties (like
text, color, or visibility), and respond to
events (like clicks or form submissions).