December 1999
JavaScript ES3 standardized
In December 1999, the ES3ECMAScript 3 — the 1999 JavaScript standard adding regex, try/catch, and widely deployed language features. standard was adopted — adding regular expressions, try/catch errors, and better string handling to JavaScript.
What it was for
ES3ECMAScript 3 — the 1999 JavaScript standard adding regex, try/catch, and widely deployed language features. is the JavaScript the web ran on for a decade — the version every browser agreed on before ES5 and ES2015. It added regular expressions, try/catch exceptions, and clearer error rules, which made complex client-side apps (Gmail-era web apps, early Google Maps) possible.
Why it's here
ES3ECMAScript 3 — the 1999 JavaScript standard adding regex, try/catch, and widely deployed language features. was the stable JavaScript version the entire web learned and shipped for ten years.
Why it mattered
Developers could finally validate text with regex and catch errors with try/catch — essential for Gmail-era web apps and early Google Maps.
What it solved
Early JavaScript was too limited for complex client-side apps; websites needed better string tools and error handling without breaking old pages.
Media
- ImageECMAScript
Andrejus Ševcovas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- JavaScript standardizedJune 1997
- JavaScript ES5 standardizedDecember 3, 2009