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mixbo
mixbo

Posted on

How about javascript this

That interesting things about javascript this scope, let's review code together

function foo(){
  console.log(this)
}
foo()

This code will output window object in browser env.

Try review other code once more

let bar = {
  myName : "myName1",
  test1 : 1
}
function foo(){
  this.myName = "myName"
}

foo.call(bar)
console.log(bar)
console.log(myName)

Will output

// {myName: "myName", test1: 1}
// VM289:11 Uncaught ReferenceError: myName is not defined
    at <anonymous>:11:13
(anonymous) @ VM289:11

What happen why i got exception? it hard to understand?

Don't worry just follow my step.

First if call function without with object like this method() javascript will call method on global context, here global in window object

At code foo.call(bar) will bind bar object to foo and this will point to bar also you have another methods to do this like apply,bind.

difference call method bind just bind method context to foo and this will point to bar
difference call method apply just argument like foo.apply(bar,[arg1,arg2])

Ok let's back, console.log(bar) will output {myName: "myName", test1: 1} because execute foo.call(bar) then this.myName='myName' bar object myName will be overwrite.

Emmmm... how about exceptions happen? call console.log(myName) in global context, javascript will found myName attrs in global scope. but you know global env haven't defined myName variable. this is main reason why exception.

So far i have show you two javascript code about how context effective behavior, one words function context this will follow call object. if no object indicate. global object will replaced

Short words

foo() // `this` will point to global object like: window, global
obj.foo() // `this` will point to obj

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