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JavaScript•Objects, Classes, and Advanced Patterns

JavaScript Object Constructors

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JavaScript Object Constructors

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Object Constructor Functions

Sometimes we need to create many objects of the same type. To create an object type we use an object constructor function.

Formula

It is considered good practice to name constructor functions with an upper - case first letter.
Object Type Person function Person(first, last, age, eye) {
this.firstName = first;
this.lastName = last;
this.age = age;
this.eyeColor = eye;
}

Try it yourself » In the constructor function, this has no value. The value of this will become the new object when a new object is created.

Read More:

JavaScript Object this.

Now we can use new Person()

to create many new Person objects:

Example

const myFather = new Person("John", "Doe", 50, "blue");
const myMother = new Person("Sally", "Rally", 48, "green");
const mySister = new Person("Anna", "Rally", 18, "green");
const mySelf = new Person("Johnny", "Rally", 22, "green");

Try it yourself »

Property Default Values

A value given to a property will be a default value for all objects created by the constructor:

Example function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) {
this.firstName = first;
this.lastName = last;
this.age = age;
this.eyeColor = eyecolor;
this.nationality = "English";
}

Adding a Property to an Object

Adding a property to a created object is easy:

Example myFather.nationality = "English";

The new property will be added to myFather. Not to any other Person Objects.

Adding a Property to a Constructor

You can

Not

add a new property to an object constructor:

Example

Person.nationality = "English";

To add a new property, you must add it to the constructor function prototype:

Example

Person.prototype.nationality = "English";

Constructor Function Methods

A constructor function can also have methods

Example function Person(first, last, age, eyecolor) {
this.firstName = first;
this.lastName = last;
this.age = age;
this.eyeColor = eyecolor;
this.fullName = function() {
return this.firstName + " " + this.lastName;
};
}

Adding a Method to an Object

Adding a method to a created object is easy:

Example myMother.changeName = function (name) {
this.lastName = name;
}

The new method will be added to myMother. Not to any other Person Objects.

Adding a Method to a Constructor

You cannot add a new method to an object constructor function. This code will produce a TypeError:

Example

Person.changeName = function (name) {
this.lastName = name;
}
myMother.changeName("Doe");

TypeError: myMother.changeName is not a function Adding a new method to a constructor must be done to the constructor function prototype:

Example

Person.prototype.changeName = function (name) {
this.lastName = name;
}
myMother.changeName("Doe");
The changeName() function assigns the value of name to the person's lastName property, substituting this with myMother.

Built-in JavaScript Constructors

Formula

JavaScript has built - in constructors for all native objects:

new Object() // A new Object object new Array() // A new Array object new Map() // A new Map object new Set() // A new Set object new Date() // A new Date object new RegExp() // A new RegExp object new Function() // A new Function object

The

Math()

object is not in the list.

Math is a global object. The new keyword cannot be used on

Math.

Did You Know?

Use object literals

{}
instead of new Object().

Use array literals

[] instead of new Array().

Use pattern literals

/()/ instead of new RegExp().

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