Modern JavaScript has strong class support as well as prototype inheritance. This is typical of JavaScript: there’s more than one way to do it, and no particular right way. Classes are so well known in the object-oriented world we mostly use them these days, but prototypes are still useful and important to know about.
JavaScript has also made functional programming popular. It has been such an effective ambassador of the approach that other languages—even strong object-oriented ones like Java—have adopted aspects of functional programming into their core. Especially when dealing with collections, functional operators are just what you need sometimes.
JavaScript is also a champion reactive language, with popular reactive tools like RxJS and Signals. Note that reactive programming is a broad and interesting topic, and not to be confused with reactive frameworks like Angular and React. They are not the same thing.
Also, don’t forget that JavaScript was originally a scripting language—it’s right there in the name. Sometimes, a good old imperative script is exactly the right level of detail for the job at hand. Don’t hesitate to go that way if it’s what you need, especially in a one-off systems utility.
There are lots of ways to use JavaScript. Don’t cheat yourself by sticking with just one.
A word about AI assistance
First of all, let’s acknowledge that AI programming is incredibly useful. We’ve only had AI programming assistants for a short time, yet already it would be almost unthinkable to build software without using some kind of AI coding assistance.
I say almost because this is also true of modern IDEs. You’d think that no one would want to develop without using something like VS Code, IntelliJ, or Eclipse. But, the fact is, I’ve seen developers who use the Posix command line together with Vim or Emacs in a way that makes a visual IDE with a mouse look clunky. You have to see the speed and efficiency of arcane hotkeys, muscle memory, and system knowledge in action to believe it.
As developers, we are going to make excellent use of AI coding in much the same way we make good use of IDEs. Some developers might code more effectively without it, but that’s because they’ve mastered the essentials. They can perceive maximum-value changes and make them, even in large and complex systems.
No matter what tools we use, the better we know our fundamentals, the better off we and our programs will be. The fundamentals translate across languages, frameworks, platforms, and operating systems, and underpin coding in both small and large implementations. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing the benefit of all that learning and groundwork you’ve done while talking to stakeholders about a critical project.
AI can’t do that for you, but you can use AI tools to empower your commitment to programming.