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Mastering JavaScript Scope: Avoiding Global Variables with IIFE

By Arslan Azeem · 3/27/2020

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Key Points

  • Understanding JavaScript scope and variable visibility.
  • The importance of avoiding global variables in JavaScript.
  • Utilizing Immediately Invoked Function Expressions (IIFE) for encapsulation.

JavaScript Scope and Variables

The create worker function demonstrates how JavaScript creates a scope, making local variables like task 1 and task 2 only accessible within that function. This encapsulation is crucial as it prevents these variables from being accessed outside, leading to errors like undefined when trying to invoke them from the worker object Local Variables.

The Dangers of Global Variables

Global variables, defined outside any function, can lead to confusion and bugs. JavaScript's dynamic typing makes it easy to overwrite these variables, which can cause significant issues in larger applications Global Variables. Thus, it's essential to minimize their use.

Encapsulating Code with Functions

To avoid global variables, one solution is to wrap all code in a single function, such as program. This way, only program remains global, while all other variables stay local Single Global Variable.

Immediately Invoked Function Expressions (IIFE)

To eliminate global variables entirely, you can use an IIFE. This involves defining a function that invokes itself immediately, ensuring all variables defined within it are local IIFE. This pattern is widely used in JavaScript to maintain scope and avoid global pollution.

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