The JavaScript Runtime Explosion: A Decade of Innovation

The past decade has witnessed an explosion of new JavaScript runtimes and engines, enabling JavaScript execution across diverse contexts with remarkable task-specific optimization. This has propelled JavaScript into the cloud, edge computing, smart TVs, mobile devices, and even microcontrollers. This article explores the drivers behind this diversity and why a single runtime or engine fails to meet all needs. From the rise of edge computing and low-resource engines for microcontrollers to polyglot engines facilitating interoperability with other languages and the widespread use in native app development, JavaScript runtimes demonstrate incredible adaptability and vibrant growth. The article details various runtimes and engines like Node.js, Deno, Cloudflare Workers, Bun, React Native, NativeScript, and more, outlining their underlying technologies and evolution.