JavaScript may not be the first choice of programming language for many researchers and data scientists, and some may be wondering why this course is based on JavaScript API instead of Python or R.
The Earth Engine JavaScript API is the most mature and easiest to use when getting started. The Earth Engine platform comes with a web-based Code Editor that allows you to use the Earth Engine JavaScript API without any installation. It also provides additional functionality to display your results on a map, save your scripts, access documentation, manage tasks, and more. It has a one-click mechanism to share your code with other users—allowing for easy reproducibility and collaboration. In addition, the JavaScript API comes with a user interface library, which allows you to create charts and web-based applications with little effort.
Figure - Screenshot of the code editor in Google Earth Engine.
You do not need to become a JavaScript expert in using Earth Engine. The basic syntax described here should be sufficient. A good tip is that if you find yourself doing something complicated in JavaScript, it might be done much better in Earth Engine. All the important computations in Earth Engine need to use the API functions, and even a basic operation—such as adding two numbers in Earth Engine—should be done using the Earth Engine API.