JavaScript and Dart are the best options for cross-platform mobile app development. Dart is a relatively new language compared to JavaScript, but it has some extremely useful features and excellent Google support. JavaScript reached the top of its popularity when it came to the cross-platform mobile application and server-side application development.
In this article, we will discuss the difference between Dart and JavaScript. But before discussing the differences, we will know about Dart and JavaScript.
What is Dart?
Dart is a client-optimized programming language developed by Google in 2011 that is used to create quick applications for any platform. Google first used it as an internal programming language to create web, server, and mobile applications. Dart compiles the source code in the same way as other programming languages such as C, JavaScript, Java, and C#. It also comes with its own virtual machine (VM) called Dart VM, which is used to run the native application. It also has its own package manager, which is known as Pub. It became more popular after the announcement of Flutter by Google for cross-platform development of the mobile application. The main reason behind this is that Flutter is completely focused on Dart. On the other hand, Dart can be quickly learned by developers who have experience with OOPS languages.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Dart
Various advantages and disadvantages of Dart are as follows:
Advantages
- It is an open-source and client-optimized programming language.
- It is very scalable across the projects.
- It is developed by Google and easily runs in the Google Cloud Platform.
- It is easy to learn if we already know JavaScript because it is similar to JavaScript.
- It is quicker than JavaScript.
- It is mostly used to develop mobile applications.
Disadvantages
- It has only a single object class.
- It is a new programming language that is not much used in the market.
- In Dart, we can’t rename a function without writing a new assignment statement.
- It has a limited number of online resources, so it is difficult to find solutions to problems.
What is JavaScript?
JavaScript is a lightweight, object-oriented scripting language that is used to build dynamic HTML pages with interactive effects on a webpage. JavaScript is also commonly used in game development and mobile app development. It is an interpreted scripting language, and its code is only executed in a web browser. We may use Node.js to run the code outside the browser. It’s also known as a browser’s language, and it can be used for both client-side and server-side development. Brendan Eich of Netscape created it, and it was first published in 1995. The language was originally known as LiveScript before being renamed JavaScript. JavaScript’s syntax is heavily influenced by the programming language C. The extension of JavaScript filename is .js.
Advantages and disadvantages of JavaScript
Various advantages and disadvantages of JavaScript are as follows:
Advantages
- It is an open-source, flexible, fast, light-weighted framework.
- It allows cross-compilation.
- It supports interfaces, modules, and classes.
- It is used for both frontend and backend development, so it may run on different devices.
- It allows us to build interfaces that react whenever the user hovers the mouse over them.
- It is friendly with other languages; therefore, many other applications may use JavaScript.
- We may extend the JavaScript for writing large applications.
Disadvantages
- It makes use of limited libraries.
- Client-side JavaScript doesn’t support writing or reading files. It has been only keeping for security purposes.
- A single error may destroy the entire website.
- It is a dynamic language, so developers may make big mistakes easily.
- It only supports the single inheritance, not multiple inheritances. Some programs might be required this object-oriented language feature.
Main Differences between Dart and JavaScript
Here, we are going to discuss the main differences between Dart and JavaScript:
Ease of Use
JavaScript has been around for a longer in the industry and is a mature and robust language. JavaScript is simple to use. It has various frameworks and libraries that are available online. These frameworks allow developers to reuse existing code to create apps faster.
On the other hand, Dart is a relatively new language for most developers outside of Google. Despite Google’s efforts to document the Dart programming language, it remains difficult for developers to find solutions to specific problems. It has a coding style and syntax similar to Java, so developers with OOPS experience would be able to easily learn and use Dart once they have learned the basics.
Speed
JavaScript is an interpreted language, so it could be felt lighter and faster than other programming languages. It is faster than Java and other compiled languages.
On the other hand, Dart is much faster as compared to JavaScript. Dart can be compiled both JIT and AOT, which helps with app development in various ways. For example, JIT compilation can speed up development, while AOT compilation can be used to optimize the release process.
Type Safety
JavaScript, as an interpreted language that supports both dynamic and Duck typing. JavaScript is not a type-safe language because it may type any code. Programming errors may only be found during runtime.
On the other hand, Dart allows for both loose and strict prototyping. Since Dart is a compiled language, the majority of programming errors are discovered during the compilation process. It is more type-safe than JavaScript.
Popularity
JavaScript can be found everywhere. Almost no computer does not support JavaScript. JavaScript is currently used to create online, mobile, and server-side code. On Stack Overflow, there are around more than 2.5 million questions about JavaScript. The JavaScript ecosystem is huge as a result of its popularity, and it now also dominates the “market” for reusable components with the advent of cloud component hubs. Frontend developers would want to see a different choice.
On the other hand, Dart is gaining popularity, but it is no match for JavaScript. Until Google declared Flutter, Dart was nowhere to be found. Dart has drawn developers who previously opposed JavaScript. Dart currently has approximately 45K questions tagged on Stack Overflow.
Learning Curve
For beginners, JavaScript is not an easy language to learn, but knowing the fundamentals of programming makes JavaScript simple. There are various online courses and tutorials available for developers who want to learn JavaScript.
On the other hand, the Dart programming language can be a challenging activity for beginners because it is not a widely-used programming language. There are very few Dart programming courses or books available online.
Web vs. Mobile
JavaScript has dominated both web and mobile app development with various frameworks. With the introduction of Facebook’s React Native, JavaScript became a no-brainer for creating mobile and web apps for small businesses. Various JavaScript frameworks are still available on the market for creating web apps, progressive web apps, and hybrid mobile apps, such as Agular, Vue.js, and others.
On the other hand, Dart may be used to develop both mobile and web applications. Dart and the Flutter system became famous for creating cross-platform mobile applications.
Frontend vs. Backend
JavaScript is used for frontend development with HTML and CSS. However, with the rise of the Node.js platform, it is now commonly used for backend and server-side development.
On the other hand, Dart is currently being used with Flutter to develop the frontend of cross-platform mobile applications. Dart may also be used for web creation, but no mention is made of it being used for backend development.
Commercial Use
JavaScript is used in the industrial sector, including large-scale projects. It is used in the development of network and cross-platform applications. JavaScript is used in Facebook’s web and cross-platform apps, React and React Native. Other businesses that use JavaScript include eBay, Airbnb, Slack, and others.
On the other hand, Google was the birthplace of Dart. As a result, it was first used internally. Then, after the announcement of Flutter, big names like Alibaba began using Flutter and Dart to create cross-platform applications.
Head-to-head comparison between Dart and JavaScript
The following comparison chart explains the head-to-head comparison between Dart and JavaScript:
| Features | Dart | JavaScript |
|---|---|---|
| Ease of use | Dart has a Java-like syntax and coding style, so developers with an OOPS experience can easily use it. | JavaScript is simple to use, and it has various frameworks and libraries available online and allows developers to reuse existing code to create apps faster. |
| Editor and IDE support | Dart code may be written in lightweight editors like Sublime or VIM. The most commonly used IDEs for Dart application development is IntelliJ IDEA and Android Studio, which come with the Dart plugin. | It provides some excellent editors and IDEs for app development. It is not always necessary to use a full-fledged IDE; instead, developers may use lightweight editors such as VIM, Sublime Text, Emacs, or Atom. Some IDEs, such as WebStorm and Visual Studio Code, can be useful for JavaScript application creation. |
| Productivity | Dart and Flutter have a smaller community as well as several online communities. Despite excellent documentation, many experienced developers are still confused about understanding Dart. | It is easier for new developers to learn because it’s a simpler, lightweight, dynamic programming language. It increases developer productivity by providing various JavaScript frameworks and thousands of easily available web packages. |
| Type safety | It is more type-safe than JavaScript because it allows for both loose and strong prototyping. | It is not a type-safe language because it supports both duck-typing and dynamic. |
| Learning Curve | Dart programming language can be challenging for beginners because it is not a widely-used programming language. There are very few Dart programming courses or books available online. | For beginners, JavaScript is not an easy language to learn, but knowing the fundamentals of programming makes JavaScript simple. |
| Commercial Use | Dart is supported by Google and is also used by big brands such as Blossom, WorkTrails, Whale, Mobile, and others. | JavaScript is widely used in large corporations such as Instagram, Slack, Reddit, eBay, and Airbnb to build web and cross-platform mobile applications. |
| Speed | Dart may be compiled both JIT and AOT, which allows for creating apps in different ways. Dart is much faster than JavaScript. | JavaScript is an interpreted language, so it could be felt lighter and faster than other programming languages. It is faster than Java and other compiled languages. |
| Web and Mobile | Dart could be used to develop both web and mobile applications. | JavaScript may be used in both web and mobile app development with several frameworks. |
Conclusion
JavaScript and Dart are excellent options for creating cross-platform mobile applications because they are used in React Native and Dart. Dart is a relatively new language compared to JavaScript. It has some interesting features and excellent Google support. We can’t think which one will be dominant in the future, but Dart has taken off very quickly. Both Dart and JavaScript are winners in the Dart vs. JavaScript fights because they are solid options for developers for many reasons. With 223 votes in a Jaxenter poll, Dart has named the number one language in the 2019 list. In a Stack Overflow poll, Dart (66.3%) came in second place to JavaScript (66.8%) as the most used programming language in 2019.
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