A Guide to the Leading Scripting Languages in Software Development

Scripts are simple programs embedded in the HTML pages. Scripts are executed which users view a Web page. Scripting enables web developers to create dynamic contents by embedding executable codes directly in an HTML page. Scripts are simply blocks of text, which are steps to perform a specific job. The <SCRIPT> and </SCRIPT> are used to enclose the scripts in HTML page.

The languages that are used to write scripts are known as Scripting Languages. Scripting languages are designed to work inside a host environment like HTML. Common scripting languages are VBScript, JavaScript, and Microsoft Jscript etc. The browsers interprets the scripting languages. 

Java Script 

JavaScript is the most popular scripting language on the Internet. It is developed by Netscape. JavaScript is line of executable computer code. It is an interpreted language usually embedded directly in HTML pages. JavaScript works in all major browsers. Java Script revolutionalized personal and business web pages all over the web. It represents a true scripting language for the users. 

Java Script is an object-based platform independent scripting language designed primarily for programmers constructing HTML documents for viewing under any web browser. Java Script maintains platform independence because its scripts are interpreted at the browser level. The object-based architecture allows Java Scripts to interact with the properties of objects that it recognizes. Script assed to HTML documents can perform a wide variety of functions, including decision making and accessing data based on user entries and also adding interactive elements to a Web page. 

VB Script 

VB Script is a lightweight version of Microsoft Visual Basic. It is developed by the Microsoft Corporation. VBScript is a subset of Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language that is used in popular applications such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access etc. VBScript are simple Visual Basic Programs embedded in the HTML page as plain text. When web page is downloaded, the script also will get downloaded and is interpreted and executed by the browser on the client computer. It allows Web client scripting in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Web server scripting in Microsoft Internet Information Server. The load is balanced between the server and the client. 

Perl and CG 

CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface, which is the standard for external gateway programs to interface with information servers such as HTTP servers or IIS. CGI is neither a program nor a programming language. It is a collection of protocols (Rules) that allow web clients to execute programs on a web server and receive their output. 

PERL (Practical Extraction and Report Language) developed by Larry Wall is the most common language used for writing CGI scripts. PERL is a language first designed for UNIX system administration. It also helps file system management and system administration task with its sophisticated string matching capabilities and flexible syntax. PEARL is interpret as a scripting language for its power and flexibility. Most popularly PERL (Perl Script) is used in the context of writing a CGI program, which is executed at Web server.

Python

Python is an easy to learn, powerful programming language. It has efficient high-level data structures and a simple but effective approach to object-oriented programming. Python’s elegant syntax and dynamic typing, together with its interpreted nature, make it an ideal language for scripting and rapid application development in many areas on most platforms

The Python interpreter is easily extended with new functions and data types implemented in C or C++ (or other languages callable from C). Python is also suitable as an extension language for customizable applications. Python is an interpreted language, which can save you considerable time during program development because no compilation and linking is necessary. The interpreter can be used interactively, which makes it easy to experiment with features of the language, to write throw-away programs, or to test functions during bottom-up program development.

PHP

PHP is a scripting language designed to fill the gap between SSI (Server Side Includes) and Perl, intended largely for the web environment. It is one of the forerunners in the Open Source software movement. Its popularity derives from its C-like syntax, its speed and its simplicity. Its popularity derives from its C-like syntax, its speed and its simplicity. PHP is also being used to build GUI-driven applications; PHP-GTK is used to build Graphical User Interfaces.

PHP is currently divided into two major versions: PHP 4 and PHP 5, although PHP 4 is deprecated and is no longer developed or supplied with critical bug fixes. PHP 6 is currently under development.

Active server Pages (ASP) 

ASP is an acronym for Microsoft’s Active Server Pages. ASP’s are Web pages that are embedded with dynamic contents. ASP file contains Text, HTML tags and scripts. An ASP file uses .asp extension. Both VBScript and Java Script can be used as the script component of an ASP file. 

ASP code can be entered in text mode using any text editor. So it is easy to debug and modify the code. It is easy for a server to share to share the information among different clients through ASP. 

Java server Pages (JSP) 

JSP allows Web designers to easily develop and maintain dynamic Web pages. JSP provides rapid development of Web based applications that are platform independent. JSP made web applications work with wide variety of Web servers, browsers and development tools. JSP uses jsp file extension. JSP pages are compiled into servlets before they are used. JSP servlets are primarily used with Web servers, where they provide an effective replacement for CGI scripts. 

Java 

Java is an object-oriented programming language and is similar to C++, with lesser limitations and higher functionality. The Java programming language lets you write powerful programs that run in the browser or desktop or server or on a consumer device. A Java program is created as a text file with extension ’.java’. It is compiled into one or more files of bytecodes with extension ‘.class’. 

C# (Pronounced as C Sharp) 

C# (pronounced as "C Sharp") is a modern, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft as part of its .NET framework. Launched in 2000 by Anders Hejlsberg, C# was designed to be a simple, yet powerful language, intended to overcome the limitations of C++ while retaining its high performance. C# combines the robustness of C and C++ with features designed for greater ease of use, making it a popular choice for developing a wide range of applications, including web services, desktop applications, mobile apps, and game development.

.NET 

.NET is a powerful, open-source development platform created by Microsoft for building and running applications on Windows, Linux, and macOS. It provides developers with a comprehensive set of tools, libraries, and frameworks that support the development of a wide range of applications, including web, desktop, mobile, cloud, gaming, and IoT (Internet of Things) solutions. Originally introduced in 2002 as part of the .NET Framework, it has evolved into a cross-platform, unified platform under the name .NET Core, now just called .NET (with versions starting from .NET 5). .NET is known for its flexibility, performance, and developer productivity.

C# 

C# programming language that is used a widely for developing .NET applications. It is similar to C++ and Java family of languages. 

Basic requirements to begin C# programming are 

• The .NET framework Software Development KIT it should be installed on the computer. 
• Any editor (Notepad) to write the source code. 

The source code can be compiled to the intermediate language using this. The IL converted into machine language and executed by the Just In Time (JIT) complier is also available in the .NET framework.