The ECMAScript specification is the formal standard defining the syntax, semantics, and execution model that all JavaScript implementations must follow. It establishes the official language rules through a combination of formal grammar and step-by-step algorithmic prose.
The project manages the technical evolution of the language via a consensus-driven governance framework and a staged proposal pipeline. This process tracks features from initial design through expert reviewer sign-off and committee approval. A specification-as-code toolchain compiles these formal definitions and algorithmic descriptions into a rendered technical document.
The specification covers core language areas including a prototype-based object model, agent-based concurrency, and asynchronous programming via event loops and promises. It further defines data representation for binary buffers, collections, and numeric computation, alongside memory management primitives and meta-programming capabilities.