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JavaScript Introducing ES2015 The Cooler Parts of ES2015 Arrow Functions

Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points
Posted by Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points

Use of Arrow function in objects?

function particle(){
  this.x = 100;
  this.show = () => {
    console.log(this.x);
  }
}
let p = new particle();
let showX = p.show;
console.log(showX);  // output - 100

Here arrow functions helped binding the instance p with the function show that's why it shows the same result even after being referenced to a variable. But MDN(Mozilla Developers network) have written, "arrow function expressions are best suited for non-method functions". But in this example we saw that it helped us from making an error by binding instance with the function. Any help regarding arrow function and its use would be really great..

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,261 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,261 Points

If you are sure you know what you're doing, you can disregard that "best suited" suggestion. But they probably say that because the value is now tied to directly to the object and not the method context, and the resulting behavior may be unexpected and confusing:

let p = new particle();
let showX = p.show;
let n = new particle();
let showN = n.show;
n.x = 99;
var x = 222;
//  Function Type:   Normal   Arrow
p.show();        //    100     100
showX();         //    222     100
showX.call(n);   //     99     100
showN.call(p);   //    100      99

With the arrow function, the value produced when called explicitly with a different context is the opposite of what you'd get if the function had a conventional definition.

Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points
Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points

So in arrow function the show method in bind to the instance created (like p) and not to "this."? What's why showX.call(n) shows the value of p.x and not n.x ??

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,261 Points
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,261 Points

In a conventional function, "this" refers to the context that the call is performed in, so p.show() gives the value of p.x, showX() gives the value of the global "x" and showX.call(n) gives n.x. But arrow functions don't bind "this" so the reference to "this" becomes the object where the definition is.

Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points
Sahil Kapoor
Sahil Kapoor
8,932 Points

Ya now I get the idea thanks a lot for the help.