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My Time With Google Apps Script: A Short Summary

JavaScript and Google Apps Script

Over the last year and a half, I've been teaching myself JavaScript quite obsessively. I've used the knowledge to build a few applications for use at work --to log phone calls and orders, generate Bills of Materials, and analyze costs. All of this has been done through the Google Apps Script application programming interface (API), which allows one to write custom automation for Google's Apps such as Docs, Sheets, and G-mail. Scripts run in a JavaScript environment on Google's servers, but one can also build HTML user-interfaces (UIs) that plug into the apps, or stand-alone scripts with their own URLs. Thus I've been able to build my own apps, without needing to worry about registering with a hosting company. The code structure for an HTML UI requires one to segregate 'server-side' and 'client-side' JavaScript, and use a simplified AJAX-like API to send data between the client and server (I use single quotes because i'm approximating the words client and server to refer to their more common meaning, but because the Google Apps Script environment abstracts away the need to deal with HTTP, 'server' and 'client' code looks much more tame that how it would appear in a more open web environment). The 'client-side' JS runs in an I-Frame sandbox, so one can use popular libraries like JQuery and ReactJS though a CDN, or including the library in the Script itself. I've gained quite a bit of experience working with JavaScript and JQuery in regards to processing data and building application structures. But despite all of this, the scope of working in this environment is highly limited. I could go into more detail, but suffice it to say that I'm looking forward to exploring a more open Web Stack.


One thing I've realized is that I would like to seek out opportunities to work in the field of Software Development. I feel that I have a knack for problem-solving, as well as the creativity and imagination required for building applications.
This fall, Jessica and I will be moving to Russellville Arkansas, where she will be a visiting professor for Visual Arts at Arkansas Tech University. This presents me with the opportunity for lowered tuition costs, so I will be attending ATU to pursue a BS in computer science, in order to create a fresh start as a professional programmer. With a degree I will be better suited to explore more areas of Computer Science than simply web-development, which I'm beginning to feel may be an over-saturated field.

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