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Sumrit Grover
Sumrit Grover

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ES2020, and what it brings to the table.

Here are 6 new JavaScript features that you should be using

BigInt

Currently, the largest number you can store in an integer is pow(2,53)-1.

Now you can even go beyond that.

But for this to work properly, you need to append n at the end of the integer.

The n denotes that this is a BigInt and should be treated differently.

BIGINT

Dynamic Imports

This gives you the option to import JS files dynamically as modules that you import natively.

This feature will help you ship on-demand-request code, better known as code splitting, without the overhead of webpack or other module bundlers.
DYNNAMIC IMPORTS

Nullish Coalescing

The symbol for Nullish Coalescing is ??.

Nullish Coalescing gives you a chance to check for truly nullish values rather than falsey values.

You might ask what is the difference between these two.

In JavaScript, many values are falsey, like empty strings, the number 0, undefined, null, false, NaN, and so on.

There may be times where you have to check whether the variable is nullish(undefined or null), but is okay to have empty strings or false values.

Nullish Coalescing

Optional Chaining

Optional Chaining syntax allows you to access deeply nested objects without worrying about the property being present or not.

If the value exists amazing!!

Otherwise, it will return undefined.

Optional Chaining

Module Namespace Exports

It was already possible to import everything using the *. However, there was no symmetrical export syntax.

But now you can do that like this.

Module Namespace Exports

globalThis

You have different global object for different platforms, window for browsers, global for node, self for web workers.

But ES2020 brought globalThis which is considered as the global object no matter where you execute the code.

globalThis

TL;DR

  • BigInt - play with very large integers, make sure you append n at the end of the integer.

  • Dynamic Import - import files conditionally.

  • Nullish Coalescing - Check for nullish values rather than falsey values.

  • Optional Chaining - check for deep nested objects without worrying about undefined values.

  • Module Namespace Exports - export everything using the * symbol

  • globalThis - considered global object no matter where you code.


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