minor fixes

This commit is contained in:
Ilya Kantor 2020-10-06 00:47:35 +03:00
parent ae06ca62bb
commit f409905f7b
2 changed files with 98 additions and 75 deletions

View file

@ -3,13 +3,15 @@
[recent browser="new"]
The optional chaining `?.` is an error-proof way to access nested object properties, even if an intermediate property doesn't exist.
The optional chaining `?.` is a safe way to access nested object properties, even if an intermediate property doesn't exist.
## The problem
## The "non-existing property" problem
If you've just started to read the tutorial and learn JavaScript, maybe the problem hasn't touched you yet, but it's quite common.
For example, some of our users have addresses, but few did not provide them. Then we can't safely read `user.address.street`:
As an example, let's consider objects for user data. Most of our users enter addresses, but some did not provide them.
In such case, when we attempt to get `user.address.street`, we'll get an error:
```js run
let user = {}; // the user happens to be without address
@ -17,7 +19,7 @@ let user = {}; // the user happens to be without address
alert(user.address.street); // Error!
```
Or, in the web development, we'd like to get an information about an element on the page, but it may not exist:
Another example. In the web development, we may need to get an information about an element on the page, that sometimes doesn't exist:
```js run
// Error if the result of querySelector(...) is null
@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ let user = {}; // user has no address
alert( user && user.address && user.address.street ); // undefined (no error)
```
AND'ing the whole path to the property ensures that all components exist, but is cumbersome to write.
AND'ing the whole path to the property ensures that all components exist (if not, the evaluation stops), but is cumbersome to write.
## Optional chaining
@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ We should use `?.` only where it's ok that something doesn't exist.
For example, if according to our coding logic `user` object must be there, but `address` is optional, then `user.address?.street` would be better.
So, if `user` happens to be undefined due to a mistake, we'll know about it and fix it. Otherwise, coding errors can be silenced where not appropriate, and become more difficult to debug.
So, if `user` happens to be undefined due to a mistake, we'll see a programming error about it and fix it. Otherwise, coding errors can be silenced where not appropriate, and become more difficult to debug.
```
````warn header="The variable before `?.` must be declared"
@ -80,25 +82,27 @@ If there's no variable `user` at all, then `user?.anything` triggers an error:
// ReferenceError: user is not defined
user?.address;
```
There must be `let/const/var user`. The optional chaining works only for declared variables.
There must be a declaration (e.g. `let/const/var user`). The optional chaining works only for declared variables.
````
## Short-circuiting
As it was said before, the `?.` immediately stops ("short-circuits") the evaluation if the left part doesn't exist.
So, if there are any further function calls or side effects, they don't occur:
So, if there are any further function calls or side effects, they don't occur.
For instance:
```js run
let user = null;
let x = 0;
user?.sayHi(x++); // nothing happens
user?.sayHi(x++); // no "sayHi", so the execution doesn't reach x++
alert(x); // 0, value not incremented
```
## Other cases: ?.(), ?.[]
## Other variants: ?.(), ?.[]
The optional chaining `?.` is not an operator, but a special syntax construct, that also works with functions and square brackets.
@ -121,9 +125,9 @@ user2.admin?.();
*/!*
```
Here, in both lines we first use the dot `.` to get `admin` property, because the user object must exist, so it's safe read from it.
Here, in both lines we first use the dot (`user1.admin`) to get `admin` property, because the user object must exist, so it's safe read from it.
Then `?.()` checks the left part: if the admin function exists, then it runs (for `user1`). Otherwise (for `user2`) the evaluation stops without errors.
Then `?.()` checks the left part: if the admin function exists, then it runs (that's so for `user1`). Otherwise (for `user2`) the evaluation stops without errors.
The `?.[]` syntax also works, if we'd like to use brackets `[]` to access properties instead of dot `.`. Similar to previous cases, it allows to safely read a property from an object that may not exist.
@ -148,19 +152,23 @@ Also we can use `?.` with `delete`:
delete user?.name; // delete user.name if user exists
```
```warn header="We can use `?.` for safe reading and deleting, but not writing"
The optional chaining `?.` has no use at the left side of an assignment:
````warn header="We can use `?.` for safe reading and deleting, but not writing"
The optional chaining `?.` has no use at the left side of an assignment.
For example:
```js run
// the idea of the code below is to write user.name, if user exists
let user = null;
user?.name = "John"; // Error, doesn't work
// because it evaluates to undefined = "John"
```
It's just not that smart.
````
## Summary
The `?.` syntax has three forms:
The optional chaining `?.` syntax has three forms:
1. `obj?.prop` -- returns `obj.prop` if `obj` exists, otherwise `undefined`.
2. `obj?.[prop]` -- returns `obj[prop]` if `obj` exists, otherwise `undefined`.
@ -170,6 +178,4 @@ As we can see, all of them are straightforward and simple to use. The `?.` check
A chain of `?.` allows to safely access nested properties.
Still, we should apply `?.` carefully, only where it's ok that the left part doesn't to exist.
So that it won't hide programming errors from us, if they occur.
Still, we should apply `?.` carefully, only where it's acceptable that the left part doesn't to exist. So that it won't hide programming errors from us, if they occur.