What are Closures in JavaScript?

Hello Readers,

• Keep Reading this Blog to know more about Closures ....
• Lets Look at this Example:

1. function x(){
2.     var a=14;
3.     function y(){
4.         console.log(a);
5.     }
6.     y();
7. }
8. x();

• The above is a Example for Closure. We already know the output of this program ie a equals 14, but lets understand theory behind this.
• First we need to Understand what Lexical Scoping(LS) means,

• LS means when y() gets called, it tries to find a variable inside local memory but a is not found, so it goes to its Lexical Parent and it finds variable a and thus console logs it. This is called Lexical Scoping.
• A Function bundled together with its Lexical Environment forms Closure. Here the Function y was bundled to variables of x.
• so in One Way, This is what Closure is !!!!

Closure Deep Dive

• Consider the Example:

1. function x(){
2.     var a=14;
3.     function y(){
4.         console.log(a);
5.     }
6.     return y;
7. }
8. var z=x();
9. z();

• what is the output of the above program?
• The answer is when z() called in line9 returns 14, But how is that possible????
• We Know that JS is Synchronus ie after running line 8, x is Deleted ie X() Execution Context(EC) gets Deleted in Call Stack.
• To know more about EC, Read my EC Blog
• In the above Example, 'a' is not in Global Scope and x gets deleted after line 8, So how program console logs 14. Here Closure comes into picture.
• When Functions are Returned from Another Function, They still maintain their Lexical Scoping.
• When y is returned, not just function code gets returned but Closure enclosed function along with its Lexical Environment gets returned and was assigned to z. This is the use case of Closures.
• Other Uses of Closures:

1. Currying
2. setTimeout
3. memoize etc

• Thanks for Reading my Blog folks, Have a great Day :)