Many web developers (and web project managers) are insistent that we shouldn’t be concerned with the availability of JavaScript in the browser. “Who turns off JavaScript these days?” is often the argument.
The problem isn’t related to who turns off JavaScript, but what happens when a CDN copy of jQuery isn’t available – the server is down or a DNS problem blocks it – or an unmanaged JavaScript error occurs. Any of these situations will stop any further JavaScript on the page from working, thereby rendering a site without a non-JavaScript fallback non-functional.
You never can tell what the reason might be for JavaScript going away. A problem in Apple’s Safari web browser in the new iOS 9.3 has even led to Apple recommending that users turn off JavaScript for the time being, until they can patch a problem. These users are quickly going to realise just how many websites they visit regularly will break without the developers’ beloved JavaScript.
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