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How JavaScript works: an overview of the engine, runtime and call stack (2017)

208 points by kawera 9y ago

tcarn 9y ago
What a fantastic breakdown. More developers really need to understand how the whole stack is interacting especially as we see the proliferation of server side js
jazzkingrt 9y ago
This post was helpful to me, as well as #4 of the same series: Event loop and the rise of Async programming I come from a native programming background, and whenever I worked on front-end javascript I always felt I didn't quite grasp what's just behind the code. These posts were a big help in getting rid of unknown unknowns.
jluse 9y ago
JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts by Anthony Alicea is also really helpful and similar to this post check it out if you can :)
mproud 9y ago
I would hope the free plan let’s me get started for free.
- wildflowero 9y ago
  Has that ever been true?
- zlatkov 9y ago
  Good catch :)
ChrisSD 9y ago
This is a good post but I feel like the title is misleading. It's specifically talking about the V8 engine in particular, not Javascript in general. While other Javascript engines may work in similar ways, the article doesn't make that assertion.
- fenomas 9y ago
  If the article had gone into any details I'd agree, but all it really says is that JS engines have a memory heap and a call stack. It doesn't get into the kind of depth where JS engines differ from one another.
  - zlatkov 9y ago
    You can check this article that goes in great details about the V8 engine (+ a bit of info about others) - https://blog.sessionstack.com/how-javascript-works-inside-the-v8-engine-5-tips-on-how-to-write-optimized-code-ac089e62b12e https://blog.sessionstack.com/how-javascript-works-inside-th...
blauditore 9y ago
Most of what's described here (mainly the call stack) isn't really JS-specific, but can be found in most high-level programming languages. (Are there even language implementations not utilizing a stack for function calls?) I thought this would be much more specific to JS quirks.
- pjmlp 9y ago
  Yes, there are calling conventions that can do everything via registers, assuming a certain size threshold.
ahamedirshad123 9y ago
This was actually a series. You can read this on their blog page https://blog.sessionstack.com/ https://blog.sessionstack.com/

208 points by kawera 9y ago

What a fantastic breakdown. More developers really need to understand how the whole stack is interacting especially as we see the proliferation of server side js

jazzkingrt 9y ago

This post was helpful to me, as well as #4 of the same series: Event loop and the rise of Async programming I come from a native programming background, and whenever I worked on front-end javascript I always felt I didn't quite grasp what's just behind the code. These posts were a big help in getting rid of unknown unknowns.

jluse 9y ago

JavaScript: Understanding the Weird Parts by Anthony Alicea is also really helpful and similar to this post check it out if you can :)

mproud 9y ago

I would hope the free plan let’s me get started for free.

wildflowero 9y ago
Has that ever been true?
zlatkov 9y ago
Good catch :)

ChrisSD 9y ago

This is a good post but I feel like the title is misleading. It's specifically talking about the V8 engine in particular, not Javascript in general. While other Javascript engines may work in similar ways, the article doesn't make that assertion.

fenomas 9y ago
If the article had gone into any details I'd agree, but all it really says is that JS engines have a memory heap and a call stack. It doesn't get into the kind of depth where JS engines differ from one another.
- zlatkov 9y ago
  You can check this article that goes in great details about the V8 engine (+ a bit of info about others) - https://blog.sessionstack.com/how-javascript-works-inside-the-v8-engine-5-tips-on-how-to-write-optimized-code-ac089e62b12e https://blog.sessionstack.com/how-javascript-works-inside-th...

blauditore 9y ago

Most of what's described here (mainly the call stack) isn't really JS-specific, but can be found in most high-level programming languages. (Are there even language implementations not utilizing a stack for function calls?) I thought this would be much more specific to JS quirks.

pjmlp 9y ago
Yes, there are calling conventions that can do everything via registers, assuming a certain size threshold.

ahamedirshad123 9y ago

This was actually a series. You can read this on their blog page https://blog.sessionstack.com/ https://blog.sessionstack.com/