This page may contain stale information. Last updated: 2026-06-12
Definition
JavaScript is a high-level, interpreted programming language that powers web browsers, server-side applications via nodejs, mobile apps, and developer tooling. The npm registry is the primary distribution channel for JavaScript libraries.
Key Points
- Runtime: Browser engines (V8, SpiderMonkey) and nodejs on servers
- Package ecosystem: npm registry — largest open-source package repository globally
- Build tooling: Vite, Webpack, esbuild — all npm-distributed
- AI coding target: Primary language for ai-coding-tools (Cursor, Codex, Claude Code)
2026 Security Landscape
The JavaScript supply chain became the most attacked developer ecosystem in 2025–2026:
- Install-time lifecycle scripts are “the single largest code-execution surface in the npm ecosystem” (Leo Balter, npm maintainer)
- Worms like Shai-Hulud and miasma-worm exploit
preinstall/postinstallhooks - npm v12 (July 2026) shifts from implicit trust to explicit
allowScriptsallowlisting