Prototype JavaScript Framework
JavaScript framework
The Prototype JavaScript Framework is a JavaScript framework created by Sam Stephenson in February 2005 as part of Ajax support in Ruby on Rails. It is implemented as a single file of JavaScript code, usually named prototype.js. Prototype is distributed standalone, but also as part of larger projects, such as Ruby on Rails, script.aculo.us and Rico. As of March 2021, according to w3techs, Prototype is used by 0.6% of all websites.
Features
Prototype provides various functions for developing JavaScript applications. The features range from programming shortcuts to major functions for dealing with XMLHttpRequest.
Prototype also provides library functions to support classes and class-based objects. In JavaScript, object creation is prototype-based instead: an object creating function can have a prototype property, and any object assigned to that property will be used as a prototype for the objects created with that function. The Prototype framework is not to be confused with this language feature.
Sample utility functions
The $() function
The dollar function, $(), can be used as shorthand for the getElementById function.
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