This JavaScript guide forked from the node style guide created by Felix Geisendörfer and is licensed under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license.
Use 2 spaces for indenting your code and swear an oath to never mix tabs and spaces - a special kind of hell is awaiting you otherwise.
Use UNIX-style newlines (\n), and a newline character as the last character
of a file. Windows-style newlines (\r\n) are forbidden inside any repository.
Just like you brush your teeth after every meal, you clean up any trailing whitespace in your JS files before committing. Otherwise the rotten smell of careless neglect will eventually drive away contributors and/or co-workers.
According to scientific research, the usage of semicolons is a core value of our community. Consider the points of the opposition, but be a traditionalist when it comes to abusing error correction mechanisms for cheap syntactic pleasures.
Try to limit your lines to 80 characters. If it feels right, you can go up to 120 characters.
Your variable references should rarely be mutable, so use const for almost
everything. If you absolutely must mutate a reference, use let.
// good
const foo = 'bar';
// if absolutely necessary, OK
let foo;
// bad
var foo = 'bar';Use single quotes, unless you are writing JSON.
// good
const foo = 'bar';
// bad
const foo = "bar";// good
const foo = `Hello, ${name}`;
// bad
const foo = 'Hello, ' + name;Because readability is paramount.
// good
const foo = `You won't believe this.`;
// bad
const foo = 'You won\'t believe this.';This helps avoid temporary references and helps prevent typo-related bugs.
// best
function fullName({ first, last }) {
return `${first} ${last}`;
}
// good
function fullName(user) {
const { first, last } = user;
return `${first} ${last}`;
}
// bad
function fullName(user) {
const first = user.first;
const last = user.last;
return `${first} ${last}`;
}Directly accessing array values via index should be avoided, but if it is necessary, use array destructuring:
const arr = [1, 2, 3];
// good
const [first, second] = arr;
// bad
const first = arr[0];
const second = arr[1];Your opening braces go on the same line as the statement.
// good
if (true) {
console.log('winning');
}
// bad
if (true)
{
console.log('losing');
}Also, notice the use of whitespace before and after the condition statement.
// good
if (err) {
return cb(err);
}
// bad
if (err) cb(err);
// bad
if (err)
return cb(err);This makes it easier to re-order the lines. However, ignore Crockford when it comes to declaring variables deeper inside a function, just put the declarations wherever they make sense.
// good
const keys = ['foo', 'bar'];
const values = [23, 42];
// bad
const keys = ['foo', 'bar'],
values = [23, 42];Variables, properties and function names should use lowerCamelCase. They
should also be descriptive. Single character variables and uncommon
abbreviations should generally be avoided.
// good
const adminUser = getAdmin();
// bad
const admin_user = getAdmin();Class names should be capitalized using UpperCamelCase.
// good
class BankAccount {}
// bad
class bank_account {}
class bankAccount {}These are numbers (or other values) simply used in line in your code. Do not use these, give them a variable name so they can be understood and changed easily.
// good
const minWidth = 300;
if (width < minWidth) {
...
}
// bad
if (width < 300) {
...
}Use object method shorthand syntax for functions on objects:
// good
const foo = {
bar() {
...
}
};
// bad
const foo = {
bar: function () {
...
}
};Use property value shorthand syntax for properties that share a name with a variable. And put them at the beginning:
const bar = true;
// good
const foo = {
bar
};
// bad
const foo = {
bar: bar
};
// also bad (bar should be first)
const foo = {
baz: false,
bar
};Module dependencies should be written using native ES2015 syntax wherever possible (which is almost everywhere):
// good
import { mapValues } from 'lodash';
export default mapValues;
// bad
const _ = require('lodash');
module.exports = _.mapValues;
// worse
define(['lodash'], function (_) {
...
});In those extremely rare cases where you're writing server-side JavaScript in a file that does not pass run through webpack, then use CommonJS modules.
In those even rarer cases where you're writing client-side code that does not run through webpack, then do not use a module loader at all.
The files inside a module are implementation details of that module. They should never be imported directly. Instead, you must only import the top-level API that's exported by the module itself.
Without a clear mechanism in place in JS to encapsulate protected code, we make a broad assumption that anything beyond the root of a module is an implementation detail of that module.
On the other hand, a module should be able to import parent and sibling modules.
// good
import foo from 'foo';
import child from './child';
import parent from '../';
import ancestor from '../../../';
import sibling from '../foo';
// bad
import inFoo from 'foo/child';
import inSibling from '../foo/child';Don't do this. Everything should be wrapped in a module that can be depended on by other modules. Even things as simple as a single value should be a module.
Use function declarations over function expressions, so that their names will show up in stack traces, making errors easier to debug.
Also, keep function definitions above other code instead of relying on function hoisting.
// good
function myFunc() {
...
}
// bad
const myFunc = function () {
...
};If you must use a function expression, then use an arrow function:
// good
[1, 2, 3].map((n) => {
const m = doSomething(n);
return m - n;
});
// bad
[1, 2, 3].map(function (n) {
const m = doSomething(n);
return m - n;
});If your function body does not include braces and only accepts one argument, then omit the argument paranthesis:
// good
[1, 2, 3].map(n => n + 1);
// bad
[1, 2, 3].map((n) => n + 1);
// bad
[1, 2, 3].map(n => {
return n + 1;
});If your arrow function is only returning an object literal, then wrap the object in paranthesis rather than using an explicit return:
// good
() => ({
foo: 'bar'
})
// bad
() => {
return {
foo: 'bar'
};
}Use trailing commas and put short declarations on a single line. Only quote keys when your interpreter complains:
// good
const a = ['hello', 'world'];
const b = {
good: 'code',
'is generally': 'pretty'
};
// bad
const a = [
'hello', 'world'
];
const b = {'good': 'code'
, is generally: 'pretty'
};Use native methods to iterate and transform arrays and objects where possible.
Avoid for and while loops as they introduce the possibility of infinite
loops and break out of our preferred convention of declarative programming.
Use descriptive variable names in the closures.
Use a utility library as needed and where it will make code more comprehensible.
// best
const userNames = users.map(user => user.name);
// ok
import { pluck } from 'lodash';
const userNames = pluck(users, 'name');
// bad
const userNames = [];
for (let i = 0; i < users.length; i++) {
userNames.push(users[i].name);
}This helps with expressiveness and readability.
const arr = [1, 2, 3];
// good
const arrCopy = [...arr];
// bad
const arrCopy = arr.slice();Programming is not about remembering stupid rules. Use the triple equality operator as it will work just as expected.
const a = 0;
// good
if (a !== '') {
console.log('winning');
}
// bad
if (a == '') {
console.log('losing');
}And never use multiple ternaries together, because they make it more difficult to reason about how different values flow through the conditions involved. Instead, structure the logic for maximum readability.
// good, a situation where only 1 ternary is needed
const foo = (a === b) ? 1 : 2;
// bad
const foo = (a === b) ? 1 : (a === c) ? 2 : 3;Do not extend the prototype of native JavaScript objects. Your future self will be forever grateful.
// bad
Array.prototype.empty = function () {
return !this.length;
}Any non-trivial conditions should be converted to functions or assigned to descriptively named variables. By breaking up logic into smaller, self-contained blocks, it becomes easier to reason about the higher-level logic. Additionally, these blocks become good candidates for extraction into their own modules, with unit-tests.
// best
function isShape(thing) {
return thing instanceof Shape;
}
function notSquare(thing) {
return !(thing instanceof Square);
}
if (isShape(thing) && notSquare(thing)) {
...
}
// good
const isShape = thing instanceof Shape;
const notSquare = !(thing instanceof Square);
if (isShape && notSquare) {
...
}
// bad
if (thing instanceof Shape && !(thing instanceof Square)) {
...
}// good
const validPassword = /^(?=.*\d).{4,}$/;
if (password.length >= 4 && validPassword.test(password)) {
console.log('password is valid');
}
// bad
if (password.length >= 4 && /^(?=.*\d).{4,}$/.test(password)) {
console.log('losing');
}Keep your functions short. A good function fits on a slide that the people in the last row of a big room can comfortably read. So don't count on them having perfect vision and limit yourself to ~15 lines of code per function.
For expressiveness sake, and so you can be mix dynamic and explicit arguments.
// good
function something(foo, ...args) {
...
}
// bad
function something(foo) {
const args = Array.from(arguments).slice(1);
...
}Always use the default argument syntax for optional arguments.
// good
function foo(options = {}) {
...
}
// bad
function foo(options) {
if (typeof options === 'undefined') {
options = {};
}
...
}And put your optional arguments at the end.
// good
function foo(bar, options = {}) {
...
}
// bad
function foo(options = {}, bar) {
...
}To avoid deep nesting of if-statements, always return a function's value as early as possible. And where possible, do any assertions first:
// good
function doStuff(val) {
if (val > 100) {
throw new Error('Too big');
}
if (val < 0) {
return false;
}
// ... stuff
}
// bad
function doStuff(val) {
if (val >= 0) {
if (val < 100) {
// ... stuff
} else {
throw new Error('Too big');
}
} else {
return false;
}
}When using a chaining syntax, indent the subsequent chained operations.
Also, if the chain is long, each method should be on a new line.
// good
$http.get('/info')
.then(({ data }) => this.transfromInfo(data))
.then((transformed) => $http.post('/new-info', transformed))
.then(({ data }) => console.log(data));
// bad
$http.get('/info')
.then(({ data }) => this.transfromInfo(data))
.then((transformed) => $http.post('/new-info', transformed))
.then(({ data }) => console.log(data));Wherever possible, do not rely on mutable state. This means you should not reassign variables, modify object properties, or push values to arrays. Instead, create new variables, and shallow copies of objects and arrays:
// good
function addBar(foos, foo) {
const newFoo = {...foo, name: 'bar'};
return [...foos, newFoo];
}
// bad
function addBar(foos, foo) {
foo.name = 'bar';
foos.push(foo);
}For trivial examples (like the one that follows), thunks will seem like overkill, but they encourage isolating the implementation details of a closure from the business logic of the calling code.
// good
function connectHandler(client, callback) {
return () => client.connect(callback);
}
setTimeout(connectHandler(client, afterConnect), 1000);
// not as good
setTimeout(() => {
client.connect(afterConnect);
}, 1000);
// bad
setTimeout(() => {
client.connect(() => {
...
});
}, 1000);Use slashes for both single line and multi line comments. Try to write comments that explain higher level mechanisms or clarify difficult segments of your code. Don't use comments to restate trivial things.
Exception: Comment blocks describing a function and its arguments
(docblock) should start with /**, contain a single * at the beginning of
each line, and end with */.
// good
// 'ID_SOMETHING=VALUE' -> ['ID_SOMETHING=VALUE', 'SOMETHING', 'VALUE']
const matches = item.match(/ID_([^\n]+)=([^\n]+)/));
/**
* Fetches a user from...
* @param {string} id - id of the user
* @return {Promise}
*/
function loadUser(id) {
// This function has a nasty side effect where a failure to increment a
// redis counter used for statistics will cause an exception. This needs
// to be fixed in a later iteration.
...
}
const isSessionValid = (session.expires < Date.now());
if (isSessionValid) {
...
}
// bad
// Execute a regex
const matches = item.match(/ID_([^\n]+)=([^\n]+)/));
// Usage: loadUser(5, function() { ... })
function loadUser(id, cb) {
// ...
}
// Check if the session is valid
const isSessionValid = (session.expires < Date.now());
// If the session is valid
if (isSessionValid) {
...
}We use a version management system. If a line of code is no longer needed, remove it, don't simply comment it out.
If you must use a constructor, then use the native class syntax. Never use
third party "class" utilities, and never mutate prototypes.
// best (no local state at all)
function addUser(users, user) {
return [...users, user];
}
const users = addUser([], { name: 'foo' });
// good
class Users {
add(user) {
...
}
}
const users = new Users();
users.add({ name: 'foo' });
// bad
function Users() {
...
}
Users.prototype.add = function () {
...
};
const users = new Users();
users.add({ name: 'foo' });Try not to rely on this at all, but if you must, then use arrow functions
instead of aliasing it.
// good
class Users {
add(user) {
return createUser(user)
.then(response => this.users.push(response.user));
}
}
// bad
class Users {
add(user) {
const self = this;
return createUser(user).then(function (response) {
self.users.push(response.user);
});
}
}Feel free to use getters that are free from side effects, like providing a length property for a collection class.
Do not use setters, they cause more problems than they can solve.