2. Agenda
JavaScript History
Language Overview
Arrays & Objects
Functions
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3. The World’s Most
Misunderstood
Programming Language
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4. History
1995 Brendan Eich started
developing a new language
for Netscape Navigator 2.0
Original name was
LiveScript
Announced on Dec 1995 as
JavaScript
1996 Microsoft responded
with JScript
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5. JS Today
Used for Client side
development on
desktop and mobile
Used for Server side
development using
NodeJs
Embedded in
applications using
Rhino
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6. Language Overview
JavaScript is not a toy
JavaScript has nothing to do with Java
JavaScript is a powerful programming language
on its own
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7. JavaScript Key Ideas
Interpreter based (no compilation)
Loosely typed language
Objects are just hash tables
Prototypical inheritance model
Functions are regular objects (with a twist)
Arrays are regular objects (with a twist)
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9. JavaScript Gotchas
var x = “3”;
var y = 5;
x + y == 8;
x + y == 35;
x + y === 35;
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10. JavaScript Gotchas
var x = “3”;
var y = 5;
x + y == 8; // false
x + y == 35; // true
x + y === 35; // false
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11. JavaScript Gotchas
function foo() { function bar() {
return return { val : 3 }
}
{
var x = foo();
val : 3
} var y = bar();
}
x.val == y.val;
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12. JavaScript Gotchas
// returns undef // returns object
function foo() { function bar() {
return return { val : 3 }
}
{
var x = foo();
val : 3
} var y = bar();
}
x.val == y.val; // error
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15. Q&A
JavaScript History
Language Overview
Arrays & Objects
Functions
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16. Objects
JS Objects are container for data
A data field in an object is a name-value pair
The name can be any string
The value can be anything except undefined
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17. Using Objects
name Ynon Perek
website http://www.ynonperek.com
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18. Using Objects
var myObject = {
name : “Ynon Perek”,
website : “http://www.ynonperek.com”
}
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19. Using Objects
console.dir(myObject); // prints all the fields
myObject.name === “Ynon Perek”
myObject[‘website’] === http://www.ynonperek.com
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20. Object Patterns
Object Literals vs. Object Ctor
Maker functions
Object Prototypes
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21. Object Literals vs. Ctor
Using object literals is the recommended way to
create objects
It is faster than calling new Object()
It is more predictable than calling new Object()
It is simpler
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23. Maker Functions
function Person(name, age) {
var that = { name : name, age : age };
that.hello = function() {
console.log(“Hello, My name is ” + that.name)
};
return that;
}
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24. Maker Functions
Using a maker function to create new objects
saves duplicate code
Use the “that” pattern against “new” pitfalls
Load your newly created object with functions
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25. Example
Implement a Quiz JavaScript system
Use “Question” class with four possible answers
and on correct answer
Use “Quiz” class to hold an array of questions
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27. Object Prototypes
In JavaScript, every object has a “prototype”
object.
When JS interpreter fails to find an attribute in an
object, it searches the prototype.
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28. Prototype Chain
Freshman Student Person
goto: party grade : 90 age : 12
Freshman.grade === 90 // from Student
Student.age === 12 // from Person
Worker.age === 12 // from Person Worker
Worker.salary === 3800 // from Worker salary : 3800
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29. The object Function
function object(parent) {
function F() {};
F.prototype = parent || Object;
return new F();
}
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30. The object Function
creates a new object with the prototype ‘parent’
uses new to keep the prototype link
supports no arguments for object literals
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31. Prototype Example
var person = { age : 12 };
var student = object(person);
student.grade = 90;
var freshman = object(student);
freshman.goto = “party”;
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32. Prototypes & Makers
Always use Maker functions
For leafs, initialize object literals
For nodes, use the object() function
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33. Exercise
Write a maker function for a Car object, using an
object literal. Car should provide members:
max_speed and drive()
Write maker functions for 3 car models using the
object() function.
Implement a function on a car model which uses
data from Car
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34. Arrays
Arrays are objects with numeric keys.
A length attribute is maintained automatically by
JS to mean last_index + 1
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35. Array Functions
join
pop, push
shift, unshift
reverse, sort - changes original array
a.slice(0, a.length).reverse() - Does not modify
original array a
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36. Exercise
Implement a Phonebook object that maintains an
array of Contact objects.
Each Contact should have a name field and a
phone field.
Test by creating 5 contacts in the Phonebook and
print them to the console.
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37. Q&A
JavaScript History
Language Overview
Arrays & Objects
Functions
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38. Functions
The word ‘function’
Followed by an optional name
Followed by a set of parameters
Followed by the function body
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39. Functions
function hello(who) {
console.log(“Hello, “ + who);
}
var hello = function hello(who) {
console.log(“Hello, “ + who);
};
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41. Scope
In JavaScript, only functions have scope.
The var keyword indicates a scoped variable
There is no block scope
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42. Scope
// Using functions to scope our code
(function() {
var x = 5;
var y = 7;
console.log(x + y);
}());
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43. Scope
Do:
Wrap every file in an anonymous function
Prefix every variable with var
A Good fence makes good neighbors
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44. Constructor Functions
If a function is called with new:
A new object is created before entering the
function
That object is passed as the this argument
That object becomes the default return value of
the function
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45. Return Value
return is used to return a value
default return value for non-ctor functions is
undefined
default return value for ctor is this
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46. Tip
Prefer that-style constructor over this
In that-style constructors, always remember to
return that.
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47. Function Patterns
Modules
Immediate Functions
Configuration Objects
Prototype Methods
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48. Modules
A module is a unit of code reuse
Some code in a module is “public” - shared with
other modules.
Some code in a module is “private” - cannot be
accessed from outside.
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49. Function Arguments
function sum() {
var i = 0,
n = arguments.length,
sum = 0;
for ( i=0; i < n; ++i ) {
sum += arguments[i];
}
return sum;
}
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50. Example - Calculator
Public code:
add_to_register
sub_from_register
read_register
zero_register
http://ynonperek.com/course/web/javascript-
functions.html#modules
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51. Immediate Functions
Execute a function as soon as it is defined
Provides a scoped “sandbox” for initialization
code
Pass in the global object to avoid using ‘window’
in your code.
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52. Configuration Objects
When a large list of arguments is required, use
configuration objects
Solves “which comes first”
Rule of Thumb: if params > 2, use the object
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53. Configuration Objects
Example
Student function which takes a configuration
object with optional values
http://ynonperek.com/course/web/javascript-
functions.html#conf
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54. Function Exercise
Write a module for time management
Module should provide:
add_meeting(meeting_info)
delete_meeting(meeting_info)
get_meetings_between(start_dt, end_dt)
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55. Function Patterns
Modules
Immediate Functions
Configuration Objects
Prototype Methods
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57. Function Prototypes
functions have a special attribute: prototype
When an object’s attribute lookup is performed,
the interpreter checks its constructor.prototype
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58. Function Prototypes
We implement inheritance using prototypes - this
is called prototypical inheritance
Example: http://ynonperek.com/course/fed/
javascript-oo.html
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59. Design Patterns
Singleton
Factory
Super
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60. Singleton
Put the object on global.
Access it from everywhere in your program
Always consider using a namespace
global.Log = log;
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61. Factory
Use a single factory object with a method to
produce each product
Implement a product method that takes a name of
a product, and runs its correct producer function
CarFactory.produce = function(model) {
var ctor = CarFactory[model];
return ctor();
}
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62. Using Super
JavaScript has no native ‘super’ call
To use the superclass in the inheritance chain, we
must work something out ourselves
Let’s modify our object function to allow super
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63. Using Super
function object(parent) {
function F() { /* CODE GOES HERE */ };
F.prototype = parent || Object;
return new F();
}
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64. Using Super
function object(parent) {
function F() { this.uber = parent };
F.prototype = parent || Object;
return new F();
}
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65. Using Super
Now each object has an ‘uber’ property that
points to its prototype object
Can use student.uber.age to get the person’s age
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66. JS App Tips
App is made of components. On mobile, only one
visible component at a time; on Desktop, can have
more than one.
Each component has its own JS file
Different components can communicate using a
global object in a private namespace
A single controller object moves components in/
out of view
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