Updated April 7, 2023
Difference Between Lua vs JavaScript
The following article provides an outline for Lua vs JavaScript. Lua is a high-level, cross-platform, powerful, light-weight ad fast programming language that is designed for embedded use in apps and is mainly used for all kind of gaming, image processing, and web applications, where this programming language helps to construct associative array and extensible semantics with procedural syntax, automatic memory management with garbage collection and this language is popular for configuration, scripting, and quick prototyping. JavaScript is also a high-level, multi-paradigm, and text-based programming language which is used on both client and server-side for designing innovative web pages or any other web development but mainly used for server-side scripting for implementing any kind of complex features in web development.
Head to Head Comparison Between Lua vs JavaScript (Infographics)
Below are the top 10 differences between Lua vs JavaScript:
Key Difference Between Lua vs JavaScript
Let us discuss some of the major key differences between Lua vs JavaScript:
- Data Types Concept: In Javascript, it does not provide the developers to learn about data types as it is a weakly typed language but this would be considered as a drawback of JavaScript as data types are very important when writing programs because it would be difficult when we deal with programs with a long run and when working with statically typed language. Whereas Lua does not provide data types concept while declaring variables but the data types are provided to the values, where these values are stored in the variables.
- Array Indexing: As many languages have the array indexing starting from 0 similarly JavaScript also has the indexing in the array starting from 0 which means it starts the elements counting in the array from 0 but not 1 which makes JavaScript zero-based when considering array indexing. Whereas, in Lua, the array indexing starts from 1 which means the elements are counted starting with 1 not 0 indexes but it is also possible in Lua to create the objects indexing at 0.
- Drawback While Finding Errors: In JavaScript, it is sometimes the errors that are occurred would not be pointed out as sometimes though a function when called with too many arguments the extra arguments are discarded by itself without throwing any error. Whereas Lua also is very easy for committing mistakes sometimes usually when we are declaring variables say if the variables are not declared by the developer then later the variables consider as a globally scoped variable but the ambiguity occurs when any function has the variable with the same name then it is very difficult to find the proper error.
Lua vs JavaScript Comparison Table
Let’s discuss the top comparison between Lua vs JavaScript:
| Sr. No | Lua | JavaScript |
| 1 | Lua is one of the cross-platform programming languages which is a small scripting language for designing a web application that is embedded in other applications. | JavaScript is a high-level text-based programming language that is also a scripting language for designing heavy web design apps, web MVC frameworks, which can also be found in NoSQL DB such as mongoDB. |
| 2 | To run any Lua codes we need to install a Lua interpreter which then the codes are executable, where this interpreter also provides some libraries, and the installation process is very simple. | There is no need to install JavaScript which is already installed in many browsers such as chrome also along with powerful consoles are built in this programming language. |
| 3 | This scripting language which works well-embedded part of any host application which is powerful but it is small so that it usually can be run on microcontroller platforms. | JavaScript can run on both browser and server. It is also possible for Javascript to run a web browser with Node. Js and this is the only scripting language that can be used on both client and server sides. |
| 4 | Lua also has a very simple and readable syntax which is modeled from Modula which make it easy to lean and suitable for beginners who are learning Lua programming language. | In JavaScript, the syntax is very easy to learn and it is easier if we known C programming language as the syntax is kind of C-like syntax when you start using JavaScript. |
| 5 | Lua is also good in performance than any languages but it is not that faster say for a simple loop with one function call which executes on runs slower when compared to Javascript. But Lua can be made faster which is known as further improvement in Lua by using the LuaJIT compiler which speeds the rival codes. | Java is very good at performance as it is faster when compared to Lua wherein a simple loop with one function call Javascript executes this kind of function much faster than in Lua. |
| 6 | Lua surprisingly provides Tail Call Optimization feature and in Lua, it works nice and also multiple return values it gives which is great. | JavaScript usually does not optimize tail calls but it can be implemented. JavaScript offers Tail Call Optimization through ES2015 with very strict mode. |
| 7 | In Lua, when we are dealing with an array the elements are usually indexed from 1 which means it starts counting from 1 when the indexes are provided in the array. | In JavaScript, when dealing with array the indexing here starts from 0 as JavaScript is zero-based indexing in the array which means it starts counting from 0 when the indexes are provided in the array. |
| 8 | Lua does not provide any types to the variables as they provide data types to values that are stored in variables as Lua is a dynamically typed language. | JavaScript does not contain the concept of data types as it is weakly typed language. |
| 9 | Lua is a powerful, lightweight, and fast programming language which is used as an embeddable scripting language. | JavaScript is also a lightweight, interpreted scripting language which is an object-oriented programming language along with the first-class function. |
| 10 | Lua has access to LuaJIT which can be useful for working with additional features. | JavaScript has an access to Typescript which provides various features. |
Conclusion
In this article, we conclude that there is no much difference between Lua and JavaScript as they are almost similar in few features. As Lua is having a very small library set it is easy for any programmer to fit the syntax in his or her mind easily but yet it is less used in developing web applications when compared to JavaScript. Therefore it depends on the developers to choose accordingly when using either Lua or JavaScript.
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This is a guide to Lua vs JavaScript. Here we discuss the Lua vs JavaScript key differences with infographics and comparison table respectively. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –
