ECMAScript Language Specification (HTML version)
ECMAScript Language Specification
This is NOT the official ECMAScript Language Specification
The official specification is the PDF Document located at
http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/files/ecma-st/ECMA-262.pdf.
In order to help make the ECMAScript standard more accessible
and to allow references to specific sections through the use of
hyperlinks, this version was created by converting the original PDF
version of the standard into HTML format through a combination of
mechanical and manual means. It may contain errors and the official
standard should be used for definitive purposes.
According to Ecma formal publications,
Ecma Standards and Technical Reports are made available
to all interested persons or organizations, free of charge and
copyright, in printed form and, as files in Acrobat ® PDF
format.
This version was created by Bob Clary and includes errata. It is
released under the same terms as the original ECMAScript Language
Specification and is free of charge and copyright.
Comments and errata should be addressed to ecma@bclary.com
Last Updated: January 12, 2004
(Also see the Errata)
Standard ECMA-262 3rd Edition -December 1999
Phone: +41 22 849.60.00 - Fax: +41 22 849.60.01 -
URL: http://www.ecma.ch - Internet:
helpdesk@ecma.ch
Brief History
This ECMA Standard is based on several originating technologies,
the most well known being JavaScript (Netscape) and JScript
(Microsoft). The language was invented by Brendan Eich at Netscape
and first appeared in that company's Navigator 2.0 browser. It has
appeared in all subsequent browsers from Netscape and in all
browsers from Microsoft starting with Internet Explorer 3.0.
The development of this Standard started in November 1996. The
first edition of this ECMA Standard was adopted by the ECMA General
Assembly of June 1997.
That ECMA Standard was submitted to ISO/IEC JTC 1 for adoption
under the fast-track procedure, and approved as international
standard ISO/IEC 16262, in April 1998. The ECMA General Assembly of
June 1998 approved the second edition of ECMA-262 to keep it fully
aligned with ISO/IEC 16262. Changes between the first and the
second edition are editorial in nature.
The current document defines the third edition of the Standard
and includes powerful regular expressions, better string handling,
new control statements, try/catch exception handling, tighter
definition of errors, formatting for numeric output and minor
changes in anticipation of forthcoming internationalisation
facilities and future language growth.
Work on the language is not complete. The technical committee is
working on significant enhancements, including mechanisms for
scripts to be created and used across the Internet, and tighter
coordination with other standards bodies such as groups within the
World Wide Web Consortium and the Wireless Application Protocol
Forum.
This Standard has been adopted as 3rd Edition of ECMA-262 by the
ECMA General Assembly in December, 1999.
Free printed copies can be ordered from: ECMA 114 Rue du
Rhône CH-1204 Geneva Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 849.60.01 Internet: documents@ ecma.ch
Files of this Standard can be freely downloaded from our ECMA
web site (www.ecma.ch). This site gives full information on ECMA,
ECMA activities, ECMA Standards and Technical Reports.
ECMA 114 Rue du Rhône CH-1204 Geneva Switzerland
See inside cover page for obtaining further soft or hard
copies.
