Web Scripting and its Types

The process of creating and embedding scripts in a web page is known as web-scripting. A script or a computer-script is a list of commands that are embedded in a web-page normally and are interpreted and executed by a certain program or scripting engine.

• Scripts may be written for a variety of purposes such as for automating processes on a local-computer or to generate web pages.
• The programming languages in which scripts are written are called scripting language, there are many scripting languages available today.
• Common scripting languages are VBScript, JavaScript, ASP, PHP, PERL, JSP etc.

Types of Script : Scripts are broadly of following two type :

Client-Side Scripts :

1. Client-side scripting is responsible for interaction within a web page. The client-side scripts are firstly downloaded at the client-end and then interpreted and executed by the browser (default browser of the system).
2. The client-side scripting is browser-dependent. i.e., the client-side browser must be scripting enables in order to run scripts
3. Client-side scripting is used when the client-side interaction is used. Some example uses of client-side scripting may be :
   • To get the data from user's screen or browser.
   • For playing online games.
   • Customizing the display of page in browser without reloading or reopening the page.
4. Here are some popular client-side scripting languages VBScript, JavaScript, Hypertext Processor(PHP).

Server-Side Scripts :

1. Server-side scripting is responsible for the completion or carrying out a task at the server-end and then sending the result to the client-end.
2. In server-side script, it doesn't matter which browser is being used at client-end, because the server does all the work.
3. Server-side scripting is mainly used when the information is sent to a server and to be processed at the server-end. Some sample uses of server-scripting can be :
   • Password Protection.
   • Browser Customization (sending information as per the requirements of client-end browser)
   • Form Processing
   • Building/Creating and displaying pages created from a database.
   • Dynamically editing changing or adding content to a web-page.
4. Here are some popular server-side scripting languages PHP, Perl, ASP (Active Server Pages), JSP ( Java Server Pages).