Can I be a Web Developer Without Javascript? (Expert Reply)

Seriously, I can’t think of any company or business looking to hire a web developer that would hire you when you know nothing about Javascript.

Javascript Overview

JavaScript was specifically built as a frontend programming language that helps supercharge blank HTML pages with animation, adds interactivity, and dynamic visual effects. 

It makes web pages more responsive to visitors by supplying immediate feedback.

In recent years, and with the effect of frameworks and other web technologies, Javascript’s capabilities have been extended and now you can find it on both frontend and backend.

Javascript is known as the language of the web because you can hardly come across any website without a touch of Javascript.

In fact, according to studies by w3techs, “JavaScript is used as a client-side programming language by 98% of all the websites on the internet.”

This goes ahead to show that, while JavaScript is popular and widely used, there are few websites (2% to be precise) that do not use Javascript.

Meaning you can build a beautiful, fully-working website without using Javascript.

But how can this be achieved?

Well, let’s find out in the next section.

Web Development Without Javascript

You can achieve this through the following means:

• Using CMS and website builders

Absolutely yes, you can simply use web builders like WordPress CMS, Wix website builder, webflow and others to build a website with little or no knowledge of Javascript. There are a wide variety of website builders available for you to pick from.

In fact, web builders have become a profitable and lucrative niche all by itself since it’s very easy to learn coupled with guide tutorials freely available online.

You can make amazing websites with website builders without writing not only Javascript code but any programming language code.

Standard e-commerce sites, blogs, forums, membership sites, news sites, and more can all be professionally built with CMS and website builders.

• The Use of Transcribers

Other options to become a web developer without using JavaScript involve using a piece of software called “Emscripten”.

This software can “transpile” other languages into JavaScript and run them in the frontend.

So let’s say you are experienced in a different programming language, you can write in C (for example) and emscripten converts your C code into extremely ugly JavaScript.

• Using WASM

Coming up (gradually) is something called “WASM” which is an abbreviation for the word (Web Assembly).

This basically refers to machine code for the web. 

So far, Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge all support the first experimental version of wasm – but Apple is not yet playing the ball right now. 

With WASM, you can properly compile languages other than JavaScript and run them at nearly full speed.

Again, this would require you to already be neck deep into another programming language.

• Using Django for Web Development

Django is a high-level web application framework built on Python that enables rapid development of secure and maintainable websites.

If you are already a Python developer, then Django takes care of much of the hassle of web development. 

It’s free and open source, has a thriving and active community, great documentation, and many options for free and paid-for support.

• • Using a Templating Engine

To use this approach you’ll have to be good at a backend programming language like PHP, Python or Ruby and also skilled in HTML and CSS.

The HTML provides you with the structure and layout of the site and also enough accessibility to make http calls.

The templating engine then takes care of the reactiveness and functionality of the website.

A good example can be seen with Laravel, the most popular PHP framework and using its blade templating engine.

Why you should learn JavaScript as a Web Developer

On the basic side of things, JavaScript adds lots of great features to a website that improves user experiences.

You can add modals, Carousels, Parallax, Tabs, Toasts, Drag out Menu, Pop-ups, Pushpins, drag & drop, and more. 

These features enhance the way users interact with your website.

On the other hand, if not properly implemented, JavaScript can be the reason why your website’s user interface is messed up.

This is mostly the case when too many or poorly written Javascript codes populate the features on your site.

You can build websites with Django but using Python for web development can not be compared to Javascript since Javascript runs on the browser.

You can see reasons more reasons why Javascript beats Python hands down for web development here: Python vs Javascript for web dev.

Not implementing Javascript properly can slow down your website significantly, affecting user interactivity and hurting your site’s SEO efforts. 

This is the reason why web developers are encouraged to not only have a sound knowledge of Javascript but also be skilled at Javascript frameworks.

The Down-Side of Ditching Javascript as a Web Developer

First off, you should know that Javascript is the dominant language of the web.

Trying to be a web developer without the knowledge of Javascript can be likened to a Pharmacist who can’t prescribe drugs.

Makes no sense right?

No doubt, you can create professional websites without Javascript but I seriously can’t think of a company or business looking to hire a web developer that would hire you without knowing JavaScript as it’s a core requirement for web development.

Not knowing Javascript means not being grounded with the technologies of the web.

It also means not knowing Javascript frameworks like React.js, Vue.js, Angular.js, ember and others since they are all built with Javascript.

As a web developer, not knowing Javascript also means running away from Node.js, a highly efficient and scalable server-side language for web development.

A question to you: Do you really want to be a web developer or you are just testing the waters?

If you intend to become a seasoned web developer, well skilled at his craft, then you must learn JavaScript, its frameworks and best usage practices. 

True facts, Javascript can be scary, especially when getting started.

But with the right learning resources, you can drastically reduce the complexities and ace your game in no distant time.

For anyone serious about web development, we do recommend Andrei Neagoie’s Udemy course: ​​The Complete Web Developer in 2022: Zero to Mastery 

We’ve reviewed multiple paid courses and learning platforms and this one resource has proven to be the best value for time and money.

This is due to the well-detailed learning outline, in-depth web development breakdown and analysis alongside the indispensable learning community of web developers striving daily to be a better developer than they were the previous day.

You should check it out.

Conclusion

JavaScript is a language worth learning for web developers especially if you wish to be seasoned in your craft and ace web development interviews.

It becomes highly necessary if you want all animations, popups and the bells and whistles that JavaScript can add to your website. 

Learning JavaScript becomes highly important when you want your web pages and the loading of its contents to be handled by the client browser which is why single-page apps(SPAs) exist and thrive. 

If none of these bothers you, then you can stick to creating websites using the options provided that require no knowledge of Javascript.

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Happy Coding!