JavaScript Objects
Real Life Objects
In real life, objects are things like: houses, cars, people, animals, or any other subjects.
Here is a car object example:
| Car Object | Properties | Methods |
|---|---|---|
|
car.name = Fiat car.model = 500 car.weight = 850kg car.color = white |
car.start() car.drive() car.brake() car.stop() |
Object Properties
A real life car has properties like weight and color:
car.name = Fiat, car.model = 500, car.weight = 850kg, car.color = white.
Car objects have the same properties, but the values differ from car to car.
Object Methods
A real life car has methods like start and stop:
car.start(), car.drive(), car.brake(), car.stop().
Car objects have the same methods, but the methods are performed at different times.
JavaScript Variables
JavaScript variables are containers for data values.
This code assigns a simple value (Fiat) to a variable named car:
JavaScript Objects
Objects are variables too. But objects can contain many values.
This code assigns many values (Fiat, 500, white) to an object named car:
Note:
It is a common practice to declare objects with the const keyword.
Learn more about using const with objects in the chapter: JS Const.
JavaScript Object Definition
How to Define a JavaScript Object
- Using an Object Literal
- Using the
newKeyword - Using an Object Constructor
JavaScript Object Literal
An object literal is a list of name:value pairs inside curly braces {}.
{firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"}
Note:
name:value pairs are also called key:value pairs.
object literals are also called object initializers.
Creating a JavaScript Object
These examples create a JavaScript object with 4 properties:
Examples
// Create an Object
const person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};
Try it Yourself »
Spaces and line breaks are not important. An object initializer can span multiple lines:
// Create an Object
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
age: 50,
eyeColor: "blue"
};
Try it Yourself »
This example creates an empty JavaScript object, and then adds 4 properties:
// Create an Object
const person = {};
// Add Properties
person.firstName = "John";
person.lastName = "Doe";
person.age = 50;
person.eyeColor = "blue";
Try it Yourself »
Using the new Keyword
This example create a new JavaScript object using new Object(),
and then adds 4 properties:
Example
// Create an Object
const person = new Object();
// Add Properties
person.firstName = "John";
person.lastName = "Doe";
person.age = 50;
person.eyeColor = "blue";
Try it Yourself »
Note:
The examples above do exactly the same.
But, there is no need to use new Object().
For readability, simplicity and execution speed, use the object literal method.
Object Properties
The named values, in JavaScript objects, are called properties.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| firstName | John |
| lastName | Doe |
| age | 50 |
| eyeColor | blue |
Objects written as name value pairs are similar to:
- Associative arrays in PHP
- Dictionaries in Python
- Hash tables in C
- Hash maps in Java
- Hashes in Ruby and Perl
Accessing Object Properties
You can access object properties in two ways:
objectName.propertyName
objectName["propertyName"]
JavaScript Object Methods
Methods are actions that can be performed on objects.
Methods are function definitions stored as property values.
| Property | Property Value |
|---|---|
| firstName | John |
| lastName | Doe |
| age | 50 |
| eyeColor | blue |
| fullName | function() {return this.firstName " " this.lastName;} |
Example
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName : "Doe",
id : 5566,
fullName : function() {
return this.firstName " " this.lastName;
}
};
Try it Yourself »
In the example above, this refers to the person object:
this.firstName means the firstName property of person.
this.lastName means the lastName property of person.
In JavaScript, Objects are King.
If you Understand Objects, you Understand JavaScript.
Objects are containers for Properties and Methods.
Properties are named Values.
Methods are Functions stored as Properties.
Properties can be primitive values, functions, or even other objects.
In JavaScript, almost "everything" is an object.
- Objects are objects
- Maths are objects
- Functions are objects
- Dates are objects
- Arrays are objects
- Maps are objects
- Sets are objects
All JavaScript values, except primitives, are objects.
JavaScript Primitives
A primitive value is a value that has no properties or methods.
3.14 is a primitive value
A primitive data type is data that has a primitive value.
JavaScript defines 7 types of primitive data types:
stringnumberbooleannullundefinedsymbolbigint
Immutable
Primitive values are immutable (they are hardcoded and cannot be changed).
if x = 3.14, you can change the value of x, but you cannot change the value of 3.14.
| Value | Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| "Hello" | string | "Hello" is always "Hello" |
| 3.14 | number | 3.14 is always 3.14 |
| true | boolean | true is always true |
| false | boolean | false is always false |
| null | null (object) | null is always null |
| undefined | undefined | undefined is always undefined |
JavaScript Objects are Mutable
Objects are mutable: They are addressed by reference, not by value.
If person is an object, the following statement will not create a copy of person:
const x = person;
The object x is not a copy of person. The object x is person.
The object x and the object person share the same memory address.
Any changes to x will also change person:
Example
//Create an Object
const person = {
firstName:"John",
lastName:"Doe",
age:50, eyeColor:"blue"
}
// Create a copy
const x = person;
// Change Age in both
x.age = 10;
Try it Yourself »
Note:
You will learn a lot more about objects in the following chapters.
