JavaScript Context (this) Binding function context

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Example

5.1

Every function has a bind method, which will create a wrapped function that will call it with the correct context. See here for more information.

var monitor = {
  threshold: 5,
  check: function(value) {
    if (value > this.threshold) {
      this.display("Value is too high!");
    }
  },
  display(message) {
    alert(message);
  }
};

monitor.check(7); // The value of `this` is implied by the method call syntax.


var badCheck = monitor.check;
badCheck(15); // The value of `this` is window object and this.threshold is undefined, so value > this.threshold is false

var check = monitor.check.bind(monitor);
check(15); // This value of `this` was explicitly bound, the function works.

var check8 = monitor.check.bind(monitor, 8);
check8(); // We also bound the argument to `8` here. It can't be re-specified.

Hard binding

  • The object of hard binding is to "hard" link a reference to this.
  • Advantage: It's useful when you want to protect particular objects from being lost.
  • Example:
function Person(){
    console.log("I'm " + this.name);
}

var person0 = {name: "Stackoverflow"}
var person1 = {name: "John"};
var person2 = {name: "Doe"};
var person3 = {name: "Ala Eddine JEBALI"};

var origin = Person;
Person = function(){
    origin.call(person0);
}

Person();
//outputs: I'm Stackoverflow

Person.call(person1);
//outputs: I'm Stackoverflow


Person.apply(person2);
//outputs: I'm Stackoverflow


Person.call(person3);
//outputs: I'm Stackoverflow
  • So, as you can remark in the example above, whatever object you pass to Person, it'll always use person0 object: it's hard binded.


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