# Function basics Quite often we need to perform a similar action in many places of the script. For example, we need to show a nice-looking message when a visitor logs in, logs out and maybe somewhere else. Functions are the main "building blocks" of the program. They allow the code to be called many times without repetition. [cut] We've already seen examples of built-in functions, like `alert(message)`, `prompt(message, default)` and `confirm(question)`. But we can create functions of our own as well. ## Definition An example of a function definition: ```js function showMessage() { alert( 'Hello everyone!' ); } ``` The `function` keyword goes first, then follows the *name of the function*, then a list of *parameters* in the brackets (empty in the example above) and finally the code of the function, also named "the function body". Once defined, the function can be called by it's name. For instance: ```js //+ run function showMessage() { alert( 'Hello everyone!' ); } *!* showMessage(); showMessage(); */!* ``` The call executes the code of the function. Here we will see the message shown two times. In this example we can see one of the main purposes of the functions: to evade code duplication. If we ever need to change the message or the way it is shown -- it's enough to modify the code in one place: the function which outputs it. ## Local variables A variable declared inside a function is only visible inside that function. For example: ```js //+ run function showMessage() { *!* let message = "Hello, I'm JavaScript!"; // local variable */!* alert( message ); } showMessage(); // Hello, I'm JavaScript! alert( message ); // <-- Error! The variable is local to the function ``` ## Outer variables A function can access an outer variable as well, for example: ```js //+ run no-beautify let *!*userName*/!* = 'John'; function showMessage() { let message = 'Hello, my name is ' + *!*userName*/!*; alert(message); } showMessage(); // Hello, my name is John ``` The function can not only read but also modify an outer variable. For instance: ```js //+ run let *!*userName*/!* = 'John'; function showMessage() { userName = "Bob"; // (1) changed the outer variable let message = 'Hello, my name is ' + *!*userName*/!*; alert(message); } alert( userName ); // John before the function call showMessage(); *!* alert( userName ); // Bob, the value was modified by the function */!* ``` If we had `let` before `userName` in the line (1) then the function would have a local variable `userName` and use it instead of the outer one: ```js //+ run let userName = 'John'; function showMessage() { *!* let userName = "Bob"; // declare a local variable */!* let message = 'Hello, my name is ' + userName; alert(message); } // the function will create and use it's own userName showMessage(); *!* alert( userName ); // John, unmodified */!* ``` ## Global variables Variables declared on the script level, outside of any function, are called *global*. Global variables are visible from any function. They are used to store the data of a project-wide importance. Variables needed by specific tasks should reside in the corresponding functions. Without strict mode, for compatibility with the old scripts, it is possible to create a variable by an assignment, without a declaration. Consider the code below as an example. The variable `message` becomes global. ```js //+ run no-strict function showMessage() { message = 'Hello'; // (*) assignment without declaration! } showMessage(); alert( message ); // Hello ``` With `"use strict"` there will be an error in line `(*)`. Without it, there won't be. In the code above, most probably, the programmer simply forgot to write `let`, so the error message is a good thing. A one more reason to `"use strict"` all the time. Modern editors and tools for code quality checking like [jshint](http://jshint.com/) allow to see and fix "missed declarations" early while coding. ## Parameters We can pass arbitrary data to the function using it's parameters (also called *arguments*) . For example, this code shows two messages: ```js //+ run no-beautify function showMessage(*!*from, text*/!*) { // arguments: from, text from = "**" + from + "**"; alert(from + ': ' + text); } *!* showMessage('Ann', 'Hello!'); // **Ann**: Hello! showMessage('Ann', "What's up?"); // **Ann**: What's up? */!* ``` In the example above, the function has two parameters: `from` and `text`. When the function is called, the values in the brackets are copied to local variables `from` and `next`. Note that the function can modify those local variables freely, they are not seen from outside anyway: ```js //+ run function showMessage(from, text) { *!* from = '**' + from + '**'; // changes the local from */!* alert( from + ': ' + text ); } let from = "Ann"; showMessage(from, "Hello"); // the old value of "from" is still here, the function modified a local copy alert( from ); // Ann ``` ## Default parameter values A function can be *called* with any number of arguments. If a parameter is not provided, but listed in the declaration, then its value becomes `undefined`. For instance, a function `showMessage(from, text)` can actually be called with a single argument: ```js showMessage("Ann"); ``` Normally, such call would output `"Ann: undefined"`, because `text === undefined`. But we can modify the function to detect missed parameter and assign a "default value" to it: ```js //+ run function showMessage(from, text) { *!* if (text === undefined) { text = 'no text given'; } */!* alert( from + ": " + text ); } showMessage("Ann", "Hello!"); // Ann: Hello! *!* showMessage("Ann"); // Ann: no text given */!* ``` Optional arguments are usually given at the end of the list. There are three most used ways to assign default values:
  1. We can check if the argument equals `undefined`, and if yes then assign a default value to it. That's demonstrated by the example above.
  2. Use operator `||`: ```js function showMessage(from, text) { text = text || 'no text given'; ... } ``` This way is shorter, but the argument is considered missing also if it's falsy, like an empty line, `0` or `null`.
  3. ES-2015 introduced an neater syntax for default values: ```js //+ run function showMessage(from, *!*text = 'no text given'*/!*) { alert( from + ": " + text ); } showMessage("Ann"); // Ann: no text for you ``` Here `'no text given'` is a string, but it can be any other value or expression, which is only evaluated and assigned if the parameter is missing. This syntax is not yet widely supported in the browsers, but available with the help of transpilers like Babel.
## Returning a value A function can return a value into the calling code as the result. For instance, let's make a mathematical function `calcD` to calculate a [discriminant of a quadratic polynomial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discriminant#Quadratic_formula) using the formula b2 - 4ac: ```js //+ run no-beautify function calcD(a, b, c) { *!*return*/!* b*b - 4*a*c; } // discriminant for: -4x^2 + 2x + 1 let test = calcD(-4, 2, 1); alert(test); // 20 ``` The directive `return` can be in any place of the function. When the execution reaches it, the function stops, and the value is returned to the calling code (assigned to `test` above). There may be many returns, for instance: ```js //+ run function checkAge(age) { if (age > 18) { return true; } else { return confirm('Got a permission from the parents?'); } } let age = prompt('How old are you?', 18); if ( checkAge(age) ) { alert( 'Access granted' ); } else { alert( 'Access denied' ); } ``` The `return` can be used without a value, to exit from the function immediately. For example: ```js function showMovie(age) { if ( !checkAge(age) ) { *!* return; */!* } alert( "Showing you the movie" ); // (*) // ... } ``` In the code above, if `checkAge(age)` returns `false`, then `showMovie` won't proceed to the `alert`. [smart header="A result with an empty or absent `return` returns `undefined`"] If a function does not return a value, it is the same as if it returns `undefined`: ```js //+ run function doNothing() { /* empty */ } alert( doNothing() ); // undefined ``` A `return` with no argument is also the same as `return undefined`: ```js //+ run function doNothing() { return; } alert( doNothing() === undefined ); // true ``` [/smart] ## Naming a function [#function-naming] Functions are actions. So their name is usually a verb. Usually, function names have verbal prefixes which vaguely describe the action. There is an agreement within the team on the terms here. For instance, functions that start with `"show"` -- usually show something: ```js //+ no-beautify showMessage(..) // shows a message ``` Function starting with... Examples of such names: ```js //+ no-beautify getAge(..) // return the age (get it somehow) calcD(..) // calculate a discriminant and return the result createForm(..) // create a form, usually returns it checkPermission(..) // check a permission, return true/false ``` That's very convenient. The prefix itself is a great hint. A glance on a function name gives an understanding what it does and what kind of value it returns. [smart header="One function -- one action"] A function should do exactly what is suggested by its name. Two independant actions usually deserve two functions, even if they are usually called together (in that case we can make a 3rd function calling those two). Few examples of "shouldn't do" for the names listed above: [/smart] [smart header="Ultrashort function names"] Functions that are used *very often* sometimes have ultrashort names. For example, [jQuery](http://jquery.com) framework defines a function `$`, [LoDash](http://lodash.com/) library has it's core function named `_`. [/smart] ## Summary A function declaration looks like this: ```js function name(parameters, delimited, by, comma) { /* code */ } ``` It is possible for a function to access variables defined outside of it. But to make the code cleaner and easier to understand, it's recommended to use local variables and parameters instead as much as possible. It is always easier to understand a function which gets parameters, works with them and returns a result than a function which gets no parameters, but modifies outer variables as a side-effect. Function naming: Functions are the main building blocks of scripts. Now we covered the basics, so we actually can use them. But we are going to return to them, going more deeply in their advanced features.