Google is developing a scripting language that will replace JS. The language, called darts

Google is developing a scripting language for the Internet news that he hopes will eventually replace JavaScript. The language, called darts, will be presented next month during a keynote address at the conference GOTO.

Some technical details of programming languages, are available at the time, but an internal memo from Google that was written last year and subsequently cast provides an overview of the company’s strategic objectives for the project.

Dart has recently attracted strong criticism from some prominent figures in the rules of the Web community, including architect Brendan Eich JavaScript. Eich originally created in 1995, while Netscape’s JavaScript. The language was submitted to the ECMA for standardization, the following year. He first gave Web developers the ability to perform useful tasks such as form validation client-side programming. Despite its extreme simplicity and the multitude of functions, JavaScript has resisted the explosive growth of Internet and has remained with the increasing workload imposed by the more complex modern web applications.

JavaScript is aimed at improving the level of specification are in progress, but is slow due to various technical and political reasons. ECMAScript 4th edition (ES4) proposal, which was published in 2007, lay out plans to radically reform the javascript. The proposal was largely written by Mozilla, Adobe and Opera, but faced strong opposition from key stakeholders, such as Microsoft and Yahoo. Split has led to a public dispute in 2007 about the future of programming language and its role in web development.

2008 ended with a compromise and nothing presented a new plan. Incremental Update standard has been adopted in 2009, but update more ambitious, called Harmony is designed for the future. Harmony is currently active in the development of the standards committee and JavaScript is a positive path to a possible adoption. Harmony, as the name suggests, is a more consensual approach led to a controversial proposal for ES4.

Along with this productive effort to provide an update acceptable to the standard language, JavaScript has benefited in recent years, other changes in the browser space. The browser vendors have implemented JavaScript execution times dramatically more efficient and eventually hope to offer performance that rivals the native code. The coherence between JavaScript implementations have also been improved. The browser makers have adopted shorter development cycles, ensuring that improvements in performance and comply with emerging standards of end users faster than ever.

This convergence of positive factors have JavaScript healthy part of the web technology stack. The programming language is in a better position than before to keep pace with the demands of next-generation Web applications.

Despite progress in recent years, Google considers that JavaScript has its limitations are too basic to be overcome through audits. The search giant will have a clean break and a new language designed from scratch for web development.

Google is to create new programming darts to “jump” and JavaScript to deliver a better design alternative that the company eventually wants to see built into Web browsers. An internal memo written by Mark Miller Google Google describes the reasoning behind Dart, highlights the technical weaknesses of the Internet as a platform and the need for development stack more competitive.

“Type complex web applications that Google specializes in combating the platform and work with a language that can be machined and the problems inherent performance. Even in smaller scale applications written by developers for fans navigate a confusing maze frameworks and design patterns are incompatible, “the note said.” The emergence of alternative platforms convincing as IOS has made the web platform to compete on its own merits, not just within their reach. Javascript as it exists today probably not be viable in the long term. ”

To meet this challenge, Google provides a twofold approach: improving the existing JavaScript through the standards process while developing a possible replacement. Miller Memo emphasis on the importance of these two approaches, which he sees as complementary and interrelated, each claiming that in isolation, would probably be a failure.

Google recognizes that the development of a new language, through the standardization process, and get support from other browser vendors will take an extremely long time. Even with an optimistic program, a programming language for the Web that is new today could have six or seven years to see widespread adoption.

Since Google sees it, along with other browser vendors to continue to improve the standard requires a JavaScript Web programming does not stop when the Duel seasoning. Miller also points out that the stronger the javascript is the only fallback position if the Duel has failed.

Technical level of Google is to begin to implement a compiler that translates code in JavaScript darts. This is similar to how the script of coffee and other languages ​​available third party web was used. As darts matures, Google plans to natively support the programming language in Chrome and persuade other browser vendors to support, too. The memo says that third-party developers to start using the language will be able to continue to invoke the compiler if the other browser vendors decide not to cook in support of the language.

Since the language has stabilized, Google plans to work with standards bodies to open the language and to formalize the specification. The search giant also plans to extend the time for problems in other areas, including the development of mobile and server side programming. Miller even hints that could be used in the Android mobile platform.

Governance

Although the idea of ​​promoting a break and the introduction of a new programming language for Web client side is interesting, also very problematic. A new JavaScript would have to replace the extremely serious consequences for the Web. Therefore, it would be necessary to create a style that reflects the fact that gravity: complete transparency and extensive collaboration with other stakeholders.

Google has already hit a foul ball on the front, because the tongue darts and basic requirements was developed behind closed doors. The fact that the Community Development Web browser and other providers had to learn about the plan by a leak is deeply troubling. It is simply not a team just to unilaterally redefine the rules in the middle of the season, and expect all teams to play together.

Governance model for the open Web is vital for its survival and it is equally important for its future sustainability. Programming language, which is defined and controlled from a single source is neither desirable nor appropriate for the Web, at this stage of its development. Google bad reputation for open government, it is difficult to put faith in the company’s motivation and confidence in the manager to be responsible for Web technology is crucial.