While it may be true that JavaScript has had a large installed base for many years, that installed environment was only capable of operating within the context of a single page load, as long as the browser was open and active, and really was only useful for manipulating the DOM (and JavaScript was a sorry platform even within that ultra-narrow scope).
Node.js changed things by making the platform available on the backend, allowing programs to live longer, but the notion that JS was "important" as a general development solution is incorrect. It certainly was not the "native" or obvious solution for anything beyond manipulating page UI, and this remains the case for the overwhelming majority of the "billions" of devices with JS execution environments. It is still harder to configure Node.js for use on a server than something like PHP.
When I say an "important development platform", I mean that from the perspective of practical use of the technologist, in the sense that the platform is can be expected to host projects that are recognized as clear leaders within a generally applicable space, strongly motivating adoption of the underlying development platform if not already adopted.
Node.js changed things by making the platform available on the backend, allowing programs to live longer, but the notion that JS was "important" as a general development solution is incorrect. It certainly was not the "native" or obvious solution for anything beyond manipulating page UI, and this remains the case for the overwhelming majority of the "billions" of devices with JS execution environments. It is still harder to configure Node.js for use on a server than something like PHP.
When I say an "important development platform", I mean that from the perspective of practical use of the technologist, in the sense that the platform is can be expected to host projects that are recognized as clear leaders within a generally applicable space, strongly motivating adoption of the underlying development platform if not already adopted.