Is it necessary for me to learn javascript?

[MarkW]

I hope this is the correct place to post this:
I am developing a web site for a e-commerce business I will be
running. The site I'm setting up will be 50% store, 50% content. I'm
not sure which shopping cart I'll be using yet (am looking at
os-commerce and miva) but the other part will be content. I will be
writing reviews of products, articles on the industry, and someday may
have some blogging and forums and advertising. I have to add that I
am not much into programming and I want a good web site but most of
all what is important to me is ease of use and a easy to update web
page. I will be using Macromeda Studio 8 to develop it (dreamweaver
and flash)
I know years ago Javascript seemed to be used a lot but will this be
necessary for me to learn? It is more for big web applications? Or
should I use php instead?

 

[David Dorward]

I know years ago Javascript seemed to be used a lot but will this be
necessary for me to learn?

JavaScript is a very nice tool for adding "optional extras" to a website. It
isn't something you *need* though.

It is more for big web applications?

No, the size of the site is irrelevant.

Or should I use php instead?

Most things relating to running an e-commerce *need* to be handled server
side. PHP wouldn't be my first choice of server side language though. I'd
likely go with Perl, Python, Ruby or Java before considering PHP.

 

[Richard Cornford]

I am developing a web site for a e-commerce business
I will be running. The site I'm setting up will be
50% store, 50% content. ... . I will be writing
reviews of products, articles on the industry, and
someday may have some blogging and forums and advertising.

I know years ago Javascript seemed to be used a lot but
will this be necessary for me to learn?

Everything you have described can be done entirely and reliably with any
server-side scripting technology. So there is no need to use javascript
at all (and as client-side scripting is an optional technology (does not
have to be available on the client) nothing (especially e-commerce)
should be written to depend upon it if reliability is desired).

If you never use javascript there is no reason for learning it. If you
do use javascript then it is a very bad idea not to learn it first.

It is more for big web applications?

There is no relationship between size and the use of javascript. The
smallest single web page can be rendered unusable for many by the
unconsidered use of javascript.

Or should I use php instead?

Not using a particular client-side technology does not imply using any
particular server side technology.

Richard.

 

[Tim Slattery]

I know years ago Javascript seemed to be used a lot but will this be
necessary for me to learn? It is more for big web applications? Or
should I use php instead?

They do quite different things. PHP is a system for server-side
processing. You will certainly need to do server-side processing so
you'll need to learn at least one of the many server-side processing
systems available.

Javascript usually is used for writing code to be run on the client.
You can hide or show parts of your page at various times, make
interactive menus, even go to the server to get more data to be
displayed (as Google Maps does when you drag the map around). You can
probably get away without client-side scripting, but as time goes by
you'll probably find things you'd like your pages to do that can be
accomplished with client-side scripting.

 

[MarkW]

Thanks for the responses. One thing I'm learning is that I should
look at off the shelf e-commerce solutions for at least part of my
solution. I will continue researching and see what I can come with.