Introduction
In computer programming, a script is a piece of program or sequence of instructions that is interpreted or carried out by another program rather than by the computer processor. Scripting language is defined a a programming language which contains series of commands that are able to be executed without the need for compiling. It is a language is used to write scripts and contain a series of commands that an interpreted one by one at runtime unlike programming languages that are compiled first before running Scripting language are designed for gluing already existing components together to develop an application and uses type less approach to achieve a higher level of programming as well as to simplify connections between components to provide rapid application development. It brings new functions to applications and glue complex system together.
Scripting languages assume that there already exist a collection of useful components written in another language. They are not intended to write applications from scratch but intended primarily for plugging components together. Some of the most widely used scripting languages are JavaScript, VBScript, PHP, Perl, Python, Ruby, and ASP. Since a scripting language is normally used in conjunction with another programming language, they are often found alongside HTML, Java or C++.
A scripting language is a programming language designed specifically for runtime environments. It automates the execution of tasks. They are used in system administration, web development, games, and creating plugins and extensions. These languages are interpreted languages (An Interpreter executes instructions written in a programming or scripting language directly, without requiring them previously to have been compiled into a machine language program), and they bring new functionalities to the applications. These languages are usually short and snappy and are interpreted from the source or byte code. Mostly, scripting languages are open-sourced languages and are supported by almost every platform, which means that no special kind of software is required to run them, as they are a set of commands run without the use of a compiler.
Depending on your aim and circumstances, using a scripting language is better.
Programming language vs Scripting language
| Programming Language | Scripting Language |
|---|---|
| A programming language is a type of computer language that consists of a set of instructions for communicating with computers. | A scripting language is a kind of programming language that is used to automate the execution of operations in a runtime environment. |
| Most programming languages are compiled. The translation overhead is incurred just once, when the source is compiled; after that, it merely needs to be loaded and run. | Most scripting languages are interpreted language. They must be parsed, interpreted, and executed each time the program is run. |
| Traditional programming languages are based on low level languages. | Scripting languages generally prefers high level languages. |
| Execution of a program takes more time since they are compiled. | Execution of a script takes less time as scripts are generally short. |
| It is used to create a new program or piece of software from the scratch. | It is used to enhance an existing program or automate a specific task. A scripting language is used to control the behavior of a program. |
| Most of the regular programming languages are stronger in data and control abstraction. | Scripting languages generally emphasize on extensibility and richness of expressions. |
| Furthermore, a programming language runs or executes independently. | A scripting language runs inside a parent program. |
| A programming language generally requires many lines of code to accomplish a particular task. | A scripting language usually requires fewer lines than programming languages to accomplish a task. |
| Programming languages have high maintenance costs. | Scripting languages typically have a low maintenance cost. |
| Programming languages generate .exe files. | Scripting languages do not create .exe files. |
| User interface design and graphic design are often partially supported by programming languages. | User interface design, data types, and graphic design are all greatly aided by scripting languages. |
| Programming languages are designed to make full-fledged software development easier. | Scripting languages are used to assist programming languages and make coding easier and faster. They are typically used for open projects and web development. |
| Programming language code takes longer time to develop since more code must be written (in most of the cases). | Scripting languages take less time to code, as fewer lines (in most of the cases) of code are to be written. |
| Programming languages are self-executable. | Scripting languages requires a host. |
| All programming languages are not scripting languages. | All scripting languages are programming languages. |
| Examples include C, C++, Java, Python, etc. | Examples include Perl, PHP, JavaScript, etc. |
Client Side Scripting Language
Key Features of Scripting Language
- Easy to learn and use: They are often a great starting point for those who want to step their foot in the world of development. They are easy to learn and implement. JavaScript and PHP are some of the easiest scripting languages.
- Open-source and free: Most of the scripting languages are open-sourced, which means there are no limits on who can utilize scripting languages. All they have to do now is study them and integrate them into their existing system. They’re all open-source, which means anyone around the world can contribute to their development.
- Powerful and extensible: Scripting languages are powerful (in terms of application) enough so that the necessary tasks can be accomplished with the scripts. Scripting languages are also highly extensible, i.e., you can add certain features if you feel them necessary.
- Cross-Platform: Scripting languages offer another significant advantage: they are portable and cross-platform, as they execute on a remote server or in the visitor’s web browser. This means they don’t require any additional software to run, and they can be used with any browser on any operating system and platform.
- Lighter memory requirements: Unlike programming languages, they are not compiled, instead, they are interpreted. Therefore, they require smaller memory from the systems running them.
- Runtime Execution: An application can be configured and modified while it is running using a system that permits code to be executed during runtime. This capacity is, in fact, the most important feature that makes scripting languages so important in most applications. Debugging and a rich in-game console are both aided by runtime code execution.
- Safe and secure: Scripting languages have been designed with security in mind. A scripting language does not allow any illicit operations to be performed from the script and even stops native code from accessing information stored in the script.
Reference : https://www.interviewbit.com/blog/scripting-language-vs-programming-language/