<script> tag vs <script type = 'text/javascript'> tag

Question

I was just wondering, what is the difference between

<script> 

and

<script type = 'text/javascript'> 

Is it different for different webservers?

For example,(I know it's incorrect to provide a link from w3schools, but look)

http://www.w3schools.com/js/tryit.asp?filename=tryjs_myfirst

Using chrome, I visited w3schools and I realised that the <script> tag is all I need.

However, when I did an offline javascript test, i realised that i need the

<script type = 'text/javascript'> 

tag. Why is this so?

Answer 1

In HTML 4, the type attribute is required. In my experience, all browsers will default to text/javascript if it is absent, but that behaviour is not defined anywhere. While you can in theory leave it out and assume it will be interpreted as JavaScript, it's invalid HTML, so why not add it.

In HTML 5, the type attribute is optional and defaults to text/javascript

Use <script type="text/javascript"> or simply <script> (if omitted, the type is the same). Do not use <script language="JavaScript">; the language attribute is deprecated

Ref :
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/65aaf5f3-09db-4f7e-a32d-d53e9720ad4c/script-languagejavascript-or-script-typetextjavascript-?forum=netfxjscript
and
Difference between <script> tag with type and <script> without type?

Do you need type attribute at all?

I am using HTML5- No

I am not using HTML5 - Yes

Answer 2

<script> is HTML 5.

<script type='text/javascript'> is HTML 4.x (and XHTML 1.x).

<script language="javascript"> is HTML 3.2.

Is it different for different webservers?

No.

when I did an offline javascript test, i realised that i need the <script type = 'text/javascript'> tag.

That isn't the case. Something else must have been wrong with your test case.