Server side script vs JavaScript for web development

Web development is the work involved in developing a website for the Internet as the World Wide Web or an intranet as a private network. Web development can range from developing a simple single static page of plain text to complex web-based internet applications electronic businesses, and social network services. A more comprehensive list of tasks to which web development commonly refers, it also includes client-side and server-side scripting. Do you know what are the differences between server-side and client-side scripting?

Server-side and Client-side scripting both have different purposes for website development. In fact, the most dynamic website is created when we use functions of both types of languages together.

Server-side programming is writing code that runs on the server, using languages supported by the server (such as Java, PHP, C#). Server-side scripting is when the user's browser makes a request back to the server and the script creates the dynamic page based on a number of conditions. Languages usually used are PHP or ASP. On a website, the user clicks on the link. The server then runs the code ( such as PHP or ASP) to create a page by finding all the products in the database. Then the page is created and sent back to the user's browser for viewing.

 

Client-side programming is writing code that will run on the client and is done in languages that can be executed by the browser, such as JavaScript. Client-side scripting is when all the code is already on the user's browser and the page alters based on the user's input. Client-side frameworks and scripting languages like JavaScript and AngularJS have made interactive websites possible. For example - A JavaScript drop down menu. The Javascript alters how the menu is displayed but all the code is run locally while it is doing it.

Let's see the differences -

• Server-side scripting is executed by a web server; client-side scripting is executed by a browser.

• The client is simply the browser a person is using to view a site, and it’s where client-side technology is unpacked and processed.

• The server is at a remote location anywhere in the world - housing data, running a site’s backend architecture, processing requests, and sending pages to the browser.

• The client is anywhere your users are viewing your site: mobile devices, laptops, or desktop computers.

• Client-end scripts are embedded in a website’s HTML markup code, which is housed on the server in a language that’s compatible with, or compiled to communicate with, the browser. The browser temporarily downloads that code, and then, apart from the server, processes it.

• Server-side scripting is often used to provide a customized interface for the user. These scripts may assemble client characteristics for use in customizing the response based on those characteristics, the user's requirements, access rights, etc.

• PHP can handle forms, save data to a file, return data to the user, gather data from files, etc. While JavaScript is designed for creating network-centric applications. With JavaScript, web pages will no longer be static HTML and allow the program that interacts with the user, control the browser, and dynamically create the HTML content.

• Server-side scripting also enables the website owner to hide the source code that generates the interface, whereas, with client-side scripting, the user has access to all the code received by the client.

• Server-side scripting requires server interaction. On the other hand, JavaScript does not need interaction with the server.

• Server-side scripting is more secure than JavaScript as the server side scripts are usually hidden from the client end, while a client-side script is visible to the users.

• The primary advantage to server-side scripting is the ability to highly customize the response based on the user's requirements, access rights, or queries into data stores.

• A downside to the use of server-side scripting is that the client needs to make further requests over the network to the server in order to show new information to the user via the web browser. These requests can slow down the experience for the user, place more load on the server, and prevent the use of the application when the user is disconnected from the server.

• The client-side script executes the code to the client side which is visible to the users while a server-side script is executed in the server end which users cannot see.

 

Let us know about your web development experiences in the comments below. Thank you!