Help Us Challenge Oracle's JavaScript Trademark

Did you know the everyday word JavaScript is actually owned as a trademark by Oracle?

For developers, that means using the word "JavaScript" to describe your work, product, or even a conference could carry legal risk. It’s why we sometimes see the clunky term "ECMAScript" instead: because one corporation claims exclusive rights to the language billions rely on every day.

Oracle inherited the JavaScript trademark from Sun Microsystems, a relic of a failed co-branding attempt with Java. But 25 years later, JavaScript is no brand at all — it’s the generic name of the world’s most popular programming language, used across the web. Oracle didn’t create it, doesn’t maintain it, and doesn’t use it, yet still claims the name as if it were their product. U.S. law is clear: abandoned and generic terms cannot be owned. This fight is about keeping JavaScript free for millions of developers, educators, and companies — and we need your help to make sure no corporation can own our language.

We need your help to continue this fight. Federal litigation against a corporation like Oracle is expensive. While the Deno company initiated this because we have a case as a JavaScript runtime, this case is really on behalf of all developers. Making JavaScript public domain will allow all of us to use it without legal concerns. That’s why we’re trying to raise $200k for the discovery phase, which will cover a variety of legal tactics, such as a professional survey to sample the public’s opinions about Oracle’s connection to the mark. None of the money will go to Deno, and if there are any funds remaining, they will be immediately donated to the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Key Legal Milestones

- 1997 – Sun Microsystems trademarks JavaScript.

- 2009 – Oracle acquires Sun, inherits the trademark.

- 2019 – Oracle renews the mark, using a Node.js screenshot (a project they don’t own) as evidence of use.

- Sept 2024 – Ryan Dahl (creator of Node.js and co-founder and CEO of Deno) writes an open letter, signed by Brendan Eich and 26,000+ developers, demanding Oracle release the mark.

- Nov 22, 2024 – Deno files formal petition with the USPTO to cancel Oracle’s claim on three grounds: *genericness, abandonment, and fraud.*

- Feb 2025 – Oracle files motion to dismiss the fraud claim, arguing their evidence was valid.

- Jun 18, 2025 – The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) dismisses the fraud claim. The fight continues on genericness and abandonment — the heart of the case.

- Aug 7, 2025 – Oracle files a response to Deno’s petition, denying that “there is broad industry and public consensus that the term ‘JavaScript’ is generic”.

- Sept 6, 2025 – Discovery begins: both sides exchange documents, evidence, and depositions.

About us:

We are the team building Deno, a modern JavaScript/TypeScript toolchain and runtime, as well as Deno Deploy, a simple platform for all types of JavaScript and TypeScript applications.