JavaScript Styleguide

A mostly reasonable approach to JavaScript

Objects

Use the literal syntax for object creation.

// bad
var item = new Object();

// good
var item = {};

Don't use reserved words as keys.

// bad
var superman = {
  default: { clark: 'kent' },
  private: true
};

// good
var superman = {
  defaults: { clark: 'kent' },
  hidden: true
};

Use readable synonyms in place of reserved words.

// bad
var superman = {
  class: 'alien'
};

// bad
var superman = {
  klass: 'alien'
};

// good
var superman = {
  type: 'alien'
};

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Arrays

Use the literal syntax for array creation.

// bad
var items = new Array();

// good
var items = [];

Use Array#push instead of direct assignment to add items to an array.

var someStack = [];

// bad
someStack[someStack.length] = 'abracadabra';

// good
someStack.push('abracadabra');

When you need to copy an array use Array#slice. jsPerf

var len = items.length;
var itemsCopy = [];
var i;

// bad
for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
  itemsCopy[i] = items[i];
}

// good
itemsCopy = items.slice();

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Strings

Use single quotes '' for strings.

// bad
var name = "Bob Parr";

// good
var name = 'Bob Parr';

// bad
var fullName = "Bob " + this.lastName;

// good
var fullName = 'Bob ' + this.lastName;

Strings longer than 100 characters should be written across multiple lines using string concatenation.

Note: If overused, long strings with concatenation could impact performance. jsPerf & Discussion.

// bad
var errorMessage = 'This is a super long error that was thrown because of Batman. When you stop to think about how Batman had anything to do with this, you would get nowhere fast.';

// bad
var errorMessage = 'This is a super long error that was thrown because \
of Batman. When you stop to think about how Batman had anything to do \
with this, you would get nowhere \
fast.';

// good
var errorMessage = 'This is a super long error that was thrown because ' +
  'of Batman. When you stop to think about how Batman had anything to do ' +
  'with this, you would get nowhere fast.';

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Functions

Function expressions:

// anonymous function expression
var anonymous = function () {
  return true;
};

// named function expression
var named = function named() {
  return true;
};

// immediately-invoked function expression (IIFE)
(function () {
  console.log('Welcome to the Internet. Please follow me.');
}());

Never declare a function in a non-function block (if, while, etc). Assign the function to a variable instead. Browsers will allow you to do it, but they all interpret it differently, which is bad news bears.

// bad
if (currentUser) {
  function test() {
    console.log('Nope.');
  }
}

// good
var test;
if (currentUser) {
  test = function test() {
    console.log('Yup.');
  };
}

Never name a parameter arguments. This will take precedence over the arguments object that is given to every function scope.

// bad
function nope(name, options, arguments) {
  // ...stuff...
}

// good
function yup(name, options, args) {
  // ...stuff...
}

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Properties

Use dot notation when accessing properties.

var luke = {
  jedi: true,
  age: 28
};

// bad
var isJedi = luke['jedi'];

// good
var isJedi = luke.jedi;

Use subscript notation [] when accessing properties with a variable.

var luke = {
  jedi: true,
  age: 28
};

function getProp(prop) {
  return luke[prop];
}

var isJedi = getProp('jedi');

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Variables

Always use var to declare variables. Not doing so will result in global variables. We want to avoid polluting the global namespace. Captain Planet warned us of that.
```
// bad
superPower = new SuperPower();

// good
var superPower = new SuperPower();
```

Use one var declaration per variable. It's easier to add new variable declarations this way, and you never have to worry about swapping out a ; for a , or introducing punctuation-only diffs.

// bad
var items = getItems(),
    goSportsTeam = true,
    dragonball = 'z';

// bad
// (compare to above, and try to spot the mistake)
var items = getItems(),
    goSportsTeam = true;
    dragonball = 'z';

// good
var items = getItems();
var goSportsTeam = true;
var dragonball = 'z';

Declare unassigned variables last. This is helpful when later on you might need to assign a variable depending on one of the previous assigned variables.

// bad
var i, len, dragonball,
    items = getItems(),
    goSportsTeam = true;

// bad
var i;
var items = getItems();
var dragonball;
var goSportsTeam = true;
var len;

// good
var items = getItems();
var goSportsTeam = true;
var dragonball;
var length;
var i;

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Blocks

Use braces with all multi-line blocks.

// bad
if (test)
  return false;

// good
if (test) return false;

// good
if (test) {
  return false;
}

// bad
function () { return false; }

// good
function () {
  return false;
}

If you're using multi-line blocks with if and else, put else on the same line as your if block's closing brace.

// bad
if (test) {
  thing1();
  thing2();
}
else {
  thing3();
}

// good
if (test) {
  thing1();
  thing2();
} else {
  thing3();
}

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Comments

Use /** ... */ for multi-line comments. Include a description, specify types and values for all parameters and return values.

// bad
// make() returns a new element
// based on the passed in tag name
//
// @param {String} tag
// @return {Element} element
function make(tag) {

  // ...stuff...

  return element;
}

// good
/**
 * make() returns a new element
 * based on the passed in tag name
 *
 * @param {String} tag
 * @return {Element} element
 */
function make(tag) {

  // ...stuff...

  return element;
}

Use // for single line comments. Place single line comments on a newline above the subject of the comment. Put an empty line before the comment.

// bad
var active = true;  // is current tab

// good
// is current tab
var active = true;

// bad
function getType() {
  console.log('fetching type...');
  // set the default type to 'no type'
  var type = this.type || 'no type';

  return type;
}

// good
function getType() {
  console.log('fetching type...');

  // set the default type to 'no type'
  var type = this.type || 'no type';

  return type;
}

Prefixing your comments with FIXME or TODO helps other developers quickly understand if you're pointing out a problem that needs to be revisited, or if you're suggesting a solution to the problem that needs to be implemented. These are different than regular comments because they are actionable. The actions are FIXME -- need to figure this out or TODO -- need to implement.

Use // FIXME: to annotate problems.

function Calculator() {

  // FIXME: shouldn't use a global here
  total = 0;

  return this;
}

Use // TODO: to annotate solutions to problems.

function Calculator() {

  // TODO: total should be configurable by an options param
  this.total = 0;

  return this;
}

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Whitespace

Place 1 space before the leading brace.

// bad
function test(){
  console.log('test');
}

// good
function test() {
  console.log('test');
}

// bad
dog.set('attr',{
  age: '1 year',
  breed: 'Bernese Mountain Dog'
});

// good
dog.set('attr', {
  age: '1 year',
  breed: 'Bernese Mountain Dog'
});

Place 1 space before the opening parenthesis in control statements (if, while etc.). Place no space before the argument list in function calls and declarations.

// bad
if(isJedi) {
  fight ();
}

// good
if (isJedi) {
  fight();
}

// bad
function fight () {
  console.log ('Swooosh!');
}

// good
function fight() {
  console.log('Swooosh!');
}

Set off operators with spaces.

// bad
var x=y+5;

// good
var x = y + 5;

Use indentation when making long method chains. Use a leading dot, which emphasizes that the line is a method call, not a new statement.

// bad
$('#items').find('.selected').highlight().end().find('.open').updateCount();

// bad
$('#items').
  find('.selected').
    highlight().
    end().
  find('.open').
    updateCount();

// good
$('#items')
  .find('.selected')
    .highlight()
    .end()
  .find('.open')
    .updateCount();

// bad
var leds = stage.selectAll('.led').data(data).enter().append('svg:svg').classed('led', true)
    .attr('width', (radius + margin) * 2).append('svg:g')
    .attr('transform', 'translate(' + (radius + margin) + ',' + (radius + margin) + ')')
    .call(tron.led);

// good
var leds = stage.selectAll('.led')
    .data(data)
  .enter().append('svg:svg')
    .classed('led', true)
    .attr('width', (radius + margin) * 2)
  .append('svg:g')
    .attr('transform', 'translate(' + (radius + margin) + ',' + (radius + margin) + ')')
    .call(tron.led);

Leave a blank line after blocks and before the next statement

// bad
if (foo) {
  return bar;
}
return baz;

// good
if (foo) {
  return bar;
}

return baz;

// bad
var obj = {
  foo: function () {
  },
  bar: function () {
  }
};
return obj;

// good
var obj = {
  foo: function () {
  },

  bar: function () {
  }
};

return obj;

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Commas

Leading commas: Nope.

// bad
var story = [
    once
  , upon
  , aTime
];

// good
var story = [
  once,
  upon,
  aTime
];

// bad
var hero = {
    firstName: 'Bob'
  , lastName: 'Parr'
  , heroName: 'Mr. Incredible'
  , superPower: 'strength'
};

// good
var hero = {
  firstName: 'Bob',
  lastName: 'Parr',
  heroName: 'Mr. Incredible',
  superPower: 'strength'
};

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Semicolons

Yup.

// bad
(function () {
  var name = 'Skywalker'
  return name
})()

// good
(function () {
  var name = 'Skywalker';
  return name;
})();

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Naming Conventions

Avoid single letter names. Be descriptive with your naming.

// bad
function q() {
  // ...stuff...
}

// good
function query() {
  // ..stuff..
}

Use camelCase when naming objects, functions, and instances.

// bad
var OBJEcttsssss = {};
var this_is_my_object = {};
var o = {};
function c() {}

// good
var thisIsMyObject = {};
function thisIsMyFunction() {}

Don't save references to this. Use Function#bind.

// bad
function () {
  var self = this;
  return function () {
    console.log(self);
  };
}

// bad
function () {
  var that = this;
  return function () {
    console.log(that);
  };
}

// bad
function () {
  var _this = this;
  return function () {
    console.log(_this);
  };
}

// good
function () {
  return function () {
    console.log(this);
  }.bind(this);
}

Name your functions. This is helpful for stack traces.

// bad
var log = function (msg) {
  console.log(msg);
};

// good
var log = function log(msg) {
  console.log(msg);
};

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Accessors

Accessor functions for properties are not required.

If you do make accessor functions use getVal() and setVal('hello').

// bad
dragon.age();

// good
dragon.getAge();

// bad
dragon.age(25);

// good
dragon.setAge(25);

If the property is a boolean, use isVal() or hasVal().

// bad
if (!dragon.age()) {
  return false;
}

// good
if (!dragon.hasAge()) {
  return false;
}

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Constructors

Assign methods to the prototype object, instead of overwriting the prototype with a new object. Overwriting the prototype makes inheritance impossible: by resetting the prototype you'll overwrite the base!

function Jedi() {
  console.log('new jedi');
}

// bad
Jedi.prototype = {
  fight: function fight() {
    console.log('fighting');
  },

  block: function block() {
    console.log('blocking');
  }
};

// good
Jedi.prototype.fight = function fight() {
  console.log('fighting');
};

Jedi.prototype.block = function block() {
  console.log('blocking');
};

Methods can return this to help with method chaining.

// bad
Jedi.prototype.jump = function jump() {
  this.jumping = true;
  return true;
};

Jedi.prototype.setHeight = function setHeight(height) {
  this.height = height;
};

var luke = new Jedi();
luke.jump(); // => true
luke.setHeight(20); // => undefined

// good
Jedi.prototype.jump = function jump() {
  this.jumping = true;
  return this;
};

Jedi.prototype.setHeight = function setHeight(height) {
  this.height = height;
  return this;
};

var luke = new Jedi();

luke.jump()
  .setHeight(20);

It's okay to write a custom toString() method, just make sure it works successfully and causes no side effects.

function Jedi(options) {
  options || (options = {});
  this.name = options.name || 'no name';
}

Jedi.prototype.getName = function getName() {
  return this.name;
};

Jedi.prototype.toString = function toString() {
  return 'Jedi - ' + this.getName();
};

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Events

When attaching data payloads to events (whether DOM events or something more proprietary like Backbone events), pass a hash instead of a raw value. This allows a subsequent contributor to add more data to the event payload without finding and updating every handler for the event. For example, instead of:

// bad
$(this).trigger('listingUpdated', listing.id);

...

$(this).on('listingUpdated', function (e, listingId) {
  // do something with listingId
});

prefer:

// good
$(this).trigger('listingUpdated', { listingId : listing.id });

...

$(this).on('listingUpdated', function (e, data) {
  // do something with data.listingId
});

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jQuery

Prefix jQuery object variables with a $.

// bad
var sidebar = $('.sidebar');

// good
var $sidebar = $('.sidebar');

Cache jQuery lookups.

// bad
function setSidebar() {
  $('.sidebar').hide();

  // ...stuff...

  $('.sidebar').css({
    'background-color': 'pink'
  });
}

// good
function setSidebar() {
  var $sidebar = $('.sidebar');
  $sidebar.hide();

  // ...stuff...

  $sidebar.css({
    'background-color': 'pink'
  });
}

For DOM queries use Cascading $('.sidebar ul') or parent > child $('.sidebar > ul').

Use find with scoped jQuery object queries.

// bad
$('ul', '.sidebar').hide();

// bad
$('.sidebar').find('ul').hide();

// good
$('.sidebar ul').hide();

// good
$('.sidebar > ul').hide();

// good
$sidebar.find('ul').hide();

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JavaScript Styleguide

Table of Contents

Objects

Arrays

Strings

Functions

Properties

Variables

Blocks

Comments

Whitespace

Commas

Semicolons

Naming Conventions

Accessors

Constructors

Events

jQuery

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JavaScript Styleguide

Table of Contents

Objects

Arrays

Strings

Functions

Properties

Variables

Blocks

Comments

Whitespace

Commas

Semicolons

Naming Conventions

Accessors

Constructors

Events

jQuery

About

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