Are You Coding JavaScript The Right Way?

JavaScript is an ever-evolving language with new features and updates being introduced frequently. It's crucial to keep up-to-date with the newest features while continuing to follow the best coding practices.

Here's a follow-up article to 10 Most Common Mistakes JavaScript Developers Make on how to use best practices in our code.

What are best practices in JavaScript?

Best practices in JavaScript refer to the standardized approach to writing code that ensures it is maintainable, readable, and efficient. Best practices include naming conventions, formatting, comments, functions, variables, and more.

Why is it important to follow best practices in JavaScript?

Following best practices in JavaScript ensures that the codebase is maintainable, consistent, and scalable. The code becomes easier for other developers to read and understand. In addition, it's more straightforward to maintain and refactor the code when necessary, making it a worthwhile investment in the long run.

Variables

Variables are an important part of a JavaScript program. It is crucial to declare them properly to prevent any unexpected errors. Scoping best practices must be followed to ensure that variables are defined and used within the correct scope. Using let and const instead of var is recommended to avoid issues with variable hoisting and redeclaration. Declaring variables at the top of their respective scopes is a good practice too. By adhering to these guidelines, you can write efficient and reliable code that meets industry best practices. After all, programming is all about writing code that not only works but is also maintainable in the long run.

Conditional Statements

Conditional statements are an essential part of JavaScript coding. To ensure clean code, it is crucial to avoid nested if statements that make the code look messy and difficult to read. Instead, try to negate the condition, or use switch statements with multiple conditions that can make code more manageable and cleaner. Ternary operators offer a more concise way of writing simple if-else conditions. However, avoid overusing ternary operators as they can make the code look complicated and difficult to read. By following these best practices, your code will be cleaner and easier to understand, making it more efficient and error-free.

const items = [];

// Bad
function add(item) {
    if (item !== null) {
        if (! items.contains(item)) {
            items.push(item);
        }
    }
}

// Good
function add(item) {
    if (item === null || items.contains(item)) {
        return;
    }
    
    items.push(item);
}

Functions

Functions are an essential part of any JavaScript codebase, and following best practices can make them easier to read, test, and maintain. When it comes to function parameters, providing clear and descriptive names can make the code more readable and reduce the need for comments. Default parameter values can also make code more concise and eliminate the need for conditional statements.

Arrow functions are a shorthand way of writing functions, and they are often more concise than traditional function declarations. They also have lexical scoping, which can make them easier to understand. It's important to note that arrow functions don't have their own this keyword, so they behave differently than traditional functions in some cases.

Function composition involves combining multiple functions to create a new function that performs more complex operations. This technique can help make code more modular and easier to reason about. Using small, reusable functions can make code more testable and easier to maintain.

Overall, following best practices when working with functions can make code more readable, maintainable, and testable. By using descriptive parameter names, arrow functions, and function composition, developers can create code that is easier to understand and modify. So, don't be afraid to experiment with these best practices and see how they can improve your JavaScript code.

Naming Conventions

What are some best practices for naming conventions in JavaScript?

Some best practices for naming conventions in JavaScript include being descriptive in variable and function names, avoiding abbreviations, using camelCase consistently for variables and functions, using SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE for constants, and PascalCase for classes. These practices make it easier to understand the purpose of each element in the codebase.

When it comes to naming conventions, following standard practices can greatly improve your code's readability. Consistency is key!

When it comes to constants, use SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE (each word is in upper case, and separated by underscores).

const MY_NAME = 'Adir';

This immediately differentiates them from variables and makes them easy to identify.

For classes and object constructors, use capitalization to indicate that they are constructors. This makes it easy to differentiate them from regular functions. Stick to PascalCase for naming your classes and avoid using abbreviations.

class MyClass() {}

Ultimately, following these best practices will make your code more organized and easier to understand. Not to mention, it'll make your fellow developers appreciate you more!

Comments

As the saying goes, "Code tells you how, comments should tell you why".

When to use comments?

It is important to use comments to explain complex code or algorithms to ensure that other developers can understand and follow your thought process. Use comments when writing code that is not self-explanatory or when implementing non-trivial business rules. Effective comments make code more maintainable and readable.

How to write effective comments?

Comments should be clear and concise, using simple language that is easy for others to understand. Explain the reasoning behind the code rather than the code itself. Avoid unnecessary comments that simply state what the code is doing. When updating the code, be sure to update the comments as well. In cases where you must write a lot of comments, consider refactoring the code to make it more readable instead. Remember, in the words of Martin Fowler, "Any fool can write code that a computer can understand. Good programmers write code that humans can understand".

Formatting

Formatting your code must follow strict guidelines. Indentation, spacing, and line length are all critical components of writing clean and readable code. Proper indentation improves the program's readability, reducing the time spent on deciphering complex code blocks. Consistent spacing between characters and operators ensures that your code is uniform, while line length will help maintain readability on smaller devices/screens.

It is important to use comments to explain complex code or algorithms to ensure that other developers can understand and follow your thought process. Use comments when writing code that is not self-explanatory or when implementing non-trivial business rules. Effective comments make code more maintainable and readable.

In Conclusion

Incorporating best coding practices ensures that your code is easy to read, maintain, and troubleshoot. Exercising good practices creates a sense of professionalism, and others will take your code seriously. It also eases collaboration since standard practices make it easy for others to understand what you're doing.

Wrapping up, we can conclude that coding practices make development easier, and save time and money while preventing problems in the future. While you follow the best practices, sometimes you might need to make exceptions based on your code. Remember that the best practices are flexible enough to allow you to make such adjustments.