29/07/2022, 08:09 JavaScript Object Methods
Javascript Object Methods
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Summary: in this tutorial, you’ll learn about the JavaScript object methods and how to define
methods for an object.
Introduction to the JavaScript object methods
An object is a collection of key/value pairs or properties (https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-object-
properties/) . When the value is a function, the property becomes a method. Typically, you use methods
to describe the object behaviors.
For example, the following adds the greet method to the person object:
let person = {
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe'
};
person.greet = function () {
console.log('Hello!');
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person.greet();
Output:
Hello!
In this example:
First, use a function expression to define a function and assign it to the greet property of the
person object.
Then, call the method greet() method.
Besides using a function expression, you can define a function and assign it to an object like this:
let person = {
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe'
};
function greet() {
console.log('Hello, World!');
person.greet = greet;
person.greet();
In this example:
First, define the greet() function as a regular function.
Second, assign the function name to the the greet property of the person object.
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Third, call the greet() method.
Object method shorthand
JavaScript allows you to define methods of an object using the object literal syntax as shown in the
following example:
let person = {
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe',
greet: function () {
console.log('Hello, World!');
};
ES6 provides you with the concise method syntax (https://www.javascripttutorial.net/es6/object-literal-extensions/)
that allows you to define a method for an object:
let person = {
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe',
greet() {
console.log('Hello, World!');
};
person.greet();
This syntax looks much cleaner and less verbose.
The this value
Typically, methods need to access other properties of the object.
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For example, you may want to define a method that returns the full name of the person object by
concatenating the first name and last name.
Inside a method, the this value references the object that invokes the method. Therefore, you can
access a property using the this value as follows:
this.propertyName
The following example uses the this value in the getFullName() method:
let person = {
firstName: 'John',
lastName: 'Doe',
greet: function () {
console.log('Hello, World!');
},
getFullName: function () {
return this.firstName + ' ' + this.lastName;
};
console.log(person.getFullName());
Output
'John Doe'
Check out this tutorial (https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-this/) for more information on this
(https://www.javascripttutorial.net/javascript-this/) value.
Summary
When a function is a property of an object, it becomes a method.
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