Difference between JavaScript Engine and JavaScript Runtime Environment

Unlike C and other compiled languages, Javascript runs in a container - a program that reads your js codes and runs them. This program must do two things

• parse your code and convert it to runnable commands
• provide some objects to javascript so that it can interact with the outside world.

The first part is called Engine and the second is Runtime.

For example, the Chrome Browser and node.js use the same Engine - V8, but their Runtimes are different: in Chrome you have the window, DOM objects etc, while node gives you require, Buffers and processes.

JavsScript 不像 C 等其他编译形语言, js 跑在一个容器里, 一个会阅读和执行你 js 代码的程序. 这个程序必须做俩件事情:

• 解析 js 代码并且转换它为可执行的命令
• 提供一些 js 对象以便于它和外界交互

第一个是被称作引擎, 第二个被称作运行时.

比如, Chrome 浏览器和 Node.js 使用了相同的引擎(V8), 但是它们的运行时是不一样的: 在 Chrome 里你可以使用 window, DOM, BOM 等, 在 node 中你可以使用 require, Buffer, process 等.