Learn JS #36

Posted on by Apostube

JavaScript Classes

ECMAScript 2015, also known as ES6, introduced JavaScript Classes.

JavaScript Classes are templates for JavaScript Objects.

JavaScript Class Syntax

Use the keyword class to create a class.

Always add a method named constructor():

Syntax

class ClassName {
  constructor() { ... }
}

Example

class Car {
  constructor(name, year) {
    this.name = name;
    this.year = year;
  }
}

The example above creates a class named “Car”.

The class has two initial properties: “name” and “year”.

A JavaScript class is not an object.

It is a template for JavaScript objects.

Using a Class

When you have a class, you can use the class to create objects:

Example

let myCar1 = new Car("Ford", 2014);
let myCar2 = new Car("Audi", 2019);

The example above uses the Car class to create two Car objects.

The constructor method is called automatically when a new object is created.

The Constructor Method

The constructor method is a special method:

  • It has to have the exact name “constructor”
  • It is executed automatically when a new object is created
  • It is used to initialize object properties

If you do not define a constructor method, JavaScript will add an empty constructor method.

Class Methods

Class methods are created with the same syntax as object methods.

Use the keyword class to create a class.

Always add a constructor() method.

Then add any number of methods.

Syntax

class ClassName {
  constructor() { ... }
  method_1() { ... }
  method_2() { ... }
  method_3() { ... }
}

Create a Class method named “age”, that returns the Car age:

Example

class Car {
  constructor(name, year) {
    this.name = name;
    this.year = year;
  }
  age() {
    let date = new Date();
    return date.getFullYear() - this.year;
  }
}

let myCar = new Car("Ford", 2014);
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML =
"My car is " + myCar.age() + " years old.";

You can send parameters to Class methods:

Example

class Car {
  constructor(name, year) {
    this.name = name;
    this.year = year;
  }
  age(x) {
    return x - this.year;
  }
}

let date = new Date();
let year = date.getFullYear();

let myCar = new Car("Ford", 2014);
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML=
"My car is " + myCar.age(year) + " years old.";

Apostube

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