An HTML version of ECMA-262, ECMAScript Language Specification, 3rd Edition
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)
Phone: +41 22 849.60.00 - Fax: +41 22 849.60.01 - URL: http://www.ecma.ch - Internet: helpdesk@ecma.ch
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.