Default Function Parameters (ES6)

#webdev #es6 #javascript

In the ES5 days, to set default values you might write your code in this manner:

function getSum(a, b){
 a = (a !== undefined) ? a:1;
 b = (b !== undefined) ? b:41;
 return a + b;
}
 getSum() //42
 getSum(1,2) //3

function getSum(a, b){
 a = a || 1;
 b = b || 41;
 return a + b;
}
 getSum() //42
 getSum(1,2) //3

These are good solutions, but hey it's 2019, Modern JavaScript is here to rescue us from this long walk. Now, you can set default values to the parameters in the function declaration statement itself like so:

function getSum(a = 1, b = 41){
 return a + b;
}
 getSum() //42
 getSum(1,2) //3

If you don't specify an argument, the default value of the parameters gets used.

Compared to the older methods of setting default values, this new feature provided by ES6 is easier and much cleaner.

Happy Coding!❤

Top comments (14)

Ciprian Șerbu • Dec 16 '18

If you don't specify an argument, the default value of the parameters gets used.

What if I specify an argument with an undefined value?

Runo-saduwa • Dec 16 '18

Good question!!, the same thing applies. The only difference in this case is that you are explicitly setting your argument to be undefined. The trick here is, whether you specify undefined explicitly or allow JavaScript to do it for you implicitly, the important thing to note is that once JavaScript reads undefined it uses the default parameters

Akash Kava • Dec 17 '18

undefined logically means that you are not specifying the argument. So it will use default value.

JavaScript Joel • Dec 17 '18 • Edited

Default values are one of the best additions to JavaScript.

I'd like to mention in this example, using the || short circuit evaluation will result in bugs.

function getSum(a, b){
  a = a || 1;
  b = b || 41;
  return a + b;
}

getSum(0, 0) //=> 42

In this example, getSum(0, 0) will return 42.

The reason is 0 is falsy and therefore will result in 1 for a and 41 for b.

Cheers!

Runo-saduwa • Dec 17 '18

Yes in fact, Thank you for spreading more light on that path. That's why the default function parameters is indeed a boon to JavaScript. We're saved from these quirks that could leave us banging our heads on our monitors all day long!... Thanks for reading and happy coding!!

Cedric van Putten • Dec 16 '18

And don't forget that the second option doesn't play nice with "falsy" numbers, like 0. :D

masih fathi • Dec 16 '18

i dont know why this usefull feature is not available from early ecma script versions.this is ordinary feature in other languages

Runo-saduwa • Dec 16 '18 • Edited

You are right. You know JavaScript was created in a haste, it was created to simply add interactivity to web pages. But as time goes, with the invention of sophisticated frameworks and its application in the server (nodejs). JavaScript had to level up