The browser does not automatically execute scripts in subfolders due to security considerations and the principle of least privilege. This behavior is designed to protect users from potentially harmful or malicious scripts that may be included in subfolders of a website.
When a browser loads a webpage, it interprets and executes the HTML, CSS, and JavaScript code to display the content and provide interactivity. However, allowing scripts in subfolders to be executed automatically could pose security risks. Malicious actors could exploit this feature to inject harmful scripts into subfolders, which could then be executed without the user's knowledge or consent.
To mitigate these risks, modern web browsers enforce a same-origin policy. This policy restricts scripts from accessing or interacting with content from a different origin (e.g., a different domain, subdomain, or port number). By default, scripts in subfolders are considered to be from a different origin, and therefore they are not automatically executed.
To include scripts from subfolders and allow them to be executed, developers need to explicitly specify the source of the script using the appropriate HTML tags. For example, the script tag can be used with the src attribute to reference an external JavaScript file located in a subfolder. By specifying the source explicitly, the browser can verify that the script is from a trusted source and then execute it accordingly.
Here's an example of how to include a script from a subfolder in HTML:
html <script src="subfolder/script.js"></script>
In this example, the script.js file is located in a subfolder called "subfolder" relative to the HTML file. By providing the correct path to the script file, the browser will load and execute it as expected.
The browser does not automatically execute scripts in subfolders to ensure user security and prevent potential exploitation by malicious scripts. Developers can include and execute scripts from subfolders by explicitly specifying the source using HTML tags such as the script tag with the src attribute.
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More questions and answers:
- Field: Web Development
- Programme: EITC/WD/JSF JavaScript Fundamentals (go to the certification programme)
- Lesson: Getting started (go to related lesson)
- Topic: Project setup (go to related topic)
- Examination review

