Bootup

I decided to start a new blog, about a subject that's become very fascinating to me: JavaScript on mobile devices.

For a long time, the web platform has lagged behind native apps in terms of performance and functionality. However, as 2015 dawns, I think we're rapidly approaching a time when it will be viable, if not standard practice, to choose tools like JavaScript, HTML, and CSS over tools like Swift, Objective-C, and Java.

I chose the name "Pocket JavaScript" for a few reasons:

• The domain wasn't taken.
• JavaScript in your pocket! It's self-explanatory.
• Many developers have "pocket" JavaScript expertise (in the sense of a "pocket ace" in Poker). We all know a little JavaScript, even if it's not our primary language.

Why JavaScript? #

It's the only language we can use in the browser. We're stuck with it. And recently, it's become not such a bad little language.

With Node.js, JavaScript has already conquered the server side, but most mobile developers still write their Android, iOS, and Windows Phone apps using native tools. Imagine, though, a pure-JavaScript stack, where code could be shared not only between client and server, but between mobile apps and the browser.

However you may feel about JavaScript's aesthetic qualities, you've gotta admit: the productivity gains would be enormous. Developers could write code for any number of glowing rectangles without having to learn new languages or frameworks.

This is a future I can get excited about. And it's already happening.

Onward #

So let's prepare for this future now. In this blog, you can look forward to a discussion of interesting web-related technologies, and how they might be used on your mobile phone or tablet.

I, for one, welcome our new JavaScript overlords.

• Next: Smooth animations in CSS