V8 JavaScript Engine
V8 is an open-source, high-performance JavaScript and WebAssembly engine developed by Google, written in C++. It compiles JavaScript code directly to native machine code before execution, enabling fast execution in environments like web browsers and server-side applications. It is the core engine powering Google Chrome, Node.js, and other platforms that require efficient JavaScript processing.
Developers should learn about V8 when working with performance-critical JavaScript applications, such as server-side development with Node.js, building Chrome extensions, or optimizing web applications for speed. Understanding V8 helps in debugging performance issues, writing efficient code that leverages just-in-time compilation, and contributing to open-source projects that depend on it, like Electron or Deno.