In this post, i will be talking about 10 essential JavaScript best practices that every developer should know. Whether you’re a beginner or an intermediate, these tips will help you write more efficient, maintainable, and error-free code.
This image is taken from my channel “CodeWithMasood”
As we know, JavaScript is a very powerful language these days, from web and mobile development to desktop application development JavaScript is everywhere and therefore, it can be easy to fall into bad practices if you’re not careful enough. By following these best practices, you can avoid common mistakes and write code that is more efficient, easier to maintain, and less prone to errors. So, let’s get started with 10 JavaScript best practices you need to know!
- Using Strict Mode-
The first best practice we’ll cover is to use strict mode in your JavaScript code. Strict mode is a feature that was introduced in ECMAScript 5. You can use it like this, where you need to write use strict in quotes at the top of your JavaScript files and it will automatically watch your code. The purpose of “use strict” is to indicate that the code should be executed in “strict mode”. This can help catch errors and improve the overall quality of your code. For example, if we don’t use strict mode and initialize a variable it will not through any error but if i use strict mode at the top of my Js file and then i write the same code again it will cause an error because x is not declared and if i declare my variable with let then it will not cause any problem. So, as you can see how good is to use strict mode in JavaScript. So, next time don’t forget to use strict mode in your projects.
- Declare Variables Using Let OR Const-
The second best practice is to always declare your variables properly using let or const. This helps avoid issues with variable scope and makes your code easier to read and maintain. Additionally, you should avoid using var, as it can lead to unexpected behavior. for example, with var you can declare a variable twice and this is what you want to avoid right and it is something that is just a kind of bug in JavaScript and that is not the case in other programming language. Once a variable is declared it can’t be declared again So, always try to use let with variables that can be reassigned and use Const with variables that you want to make constants.
- Use Meaningful Variable Names-
The third best JavaScript practice is to use meaningful variable names that describe the purpose of the variable. This can make your code more readable and easier to understand and test especially for other developers who may need to work with your code in the future. Other than naming variables like cname, x etc. you can use meaningful names like customerName or windowsHorizontalWidth etc.
Follow DRY Principle-
The next best practice is to follow the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) principle. This means that you should avoid repeating the same code over and over again and instead use functions or other reusable code blocks to accomplish the same task. Let’s say you need to calculate the area and perimeter of a rectangle. Instead of writing two separate functions to calculate area and perimeter, you can write a single function that takes in the rectangle’s width and height and returns an object with the area and perimeter as properties. With this function, you can calculate both the area and perimeter of a rectangle by calling it once and accessing the area and perimeter properties of the returned object.Use Shorthand Functions-
The next tip is to keep your functions shorthand and clean. This makes your code easier to understand and maintain, and can also make your code look professional. In general, shorthand functions are preferred in JavaScript because they are more concise and easier to read. However, long-form functions can be useful in some cases where you need to do more complex logic or use features not available in shorthand functions.
Use Comments-
The next tip is to use comments to explain your code. Comments can help other developers understand the purpose of your code and can make your code more readable and maintainable. Comments can be used to provide an overview of what a section of code or an entire program does. This can be particularly useful for other developers who may need to modify or debug the code in the future.Keep Your Code Formatted-
The next tip is to keep your code formatted. which can be achieved by using the same indentation, spacing, and naming conventions throughout your code. This can make your code easier to read and understand, especially for other developers who may need to work with your code. And luckily you don’t need to worry a lot because prettier does this job for you very well. I recommend to check the option which says format on save to format your code automatically after you save it. And this is just awesome!!
- Use Const With Objects-
The next tip is to always use Const with objects, because if you don’t use Const with objects, you will end up reassigning your variable to something else it is very common mistake that people make. But, once you make an object into constant than it can’t be changed and your properties will be there forever.
- Use Const With Arrays-
The next tip is almost related to the previous one but this time it is the case with arrays. So, with arrays again try to use Const because declaring arrays with Const will prevent any accidental change of type. But once you make an array into constant than it can’t be changed and your array items will not go anywhere.
- Use Triple Sign Operator-
And finally, the last tip from my side is to use triple sign operator to compare two values because it not only compare values but the type of your values as well which is good because it adds an extra layer of security. let’s say you want to compare a number with string using two equal sign it will not through any error but if you use triple equal to sign it would not work.
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