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@isaacs
Created April 6, 2010 19:24
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A better coding convention for lists and object literals in JavaScript
// See comments below.
// This code sample and justification brought to you by
// Isaac Z. Schlueter, aka isaacs
// standard style
var a = "ape",
b = "bat",
c = "cat",
d = "dog",
e = "elf",
f = "fly",
g = "gnu",
h = "hat",
i = "ibu";
// comma-first style
var a = "ape"
, b = "bat"
, c = "cat"
, d = "dog"
, e = "elf"
, f = "fly"
, g = "gnu"
, h = "hat"
, i = "ibu"
;
// error in standard style
var a = "ape",
b = "bat",
c = "cat",
d = "dog"
e = "elf",
f = "fly",
g = "gnu",
h = "hat",
i = "ibu";
// error in comma-first style
var a = "ape"
, b = "bat"
, c = "cat"
, d = "dog"
e = "elf"
, f = "fly"
, g = "gnu"
, h = "hat"
, i = "ibu"
;
// Objects:
// JSON.stringify style
var o = {
a : "ape",
b : "bat",
c : "cat",
d : "dog",
e : "elf",
f : "fly",
g : "gnu",
h : "hat",
i : "ibu"
},
a = [
[ "ape", "bat" ],
[ "cat", "dog" ],
[ "elf", "fly" ],
[ "gnu", "hat" ],
[ "ibu" ]
];
// comma-first
var o =
{ a : "ape"
, b : "bat"
, c : "cat"
, d : "dog"
, e : "elf"
, f : "fly"
, g : "gnu"
, h : "hat"
, i : "ibu"
}
, a =
[ [ "ape", "bat" ]
, [ "cat", "dog" ]
, [ "elf", "fly" ]
, [ "gnu", "hat" ]
, [ "ibu" ]
];
// errors in objects:
// JSON.stringify style
var o = {
a : "ape",
b : "bat",
c : "cat",
d : "dog"
e : "elf",
f : "fly",
g : "gnu",
h : "hat",
i : "ibu"
},
a = [
[ "ape", "bat" ],
[ "cat", "dog" ],
[ "elf", "fly" ]
[ "gnu", "hat" ],
[ "ibu" ]
];
// comma-first
var o =
{ a : "ape"
, b : "bat"
, c : "cat"
, d : "dog"
e : "elf"
, f : "fly"
, g : "gnu"
, h : "hat"
, i : "ibu"
}
, a =
[ [ "ape", "bat" ]
, [ "cat", "dog" ]
, [ "elf", "fly" ]
[ "gnu", "hat" ]
, [ "ibu" ]
];
// Addendum: effects on the return statement.
// It does not break.
return [ 1
, 2
, 3
] // returns [1,2,3]
return { a : "ape"
, b : "bat"
} // returns {a:"ape",b:"bat"}
// even just separating two values by commas is fine,
// though a bit silly
return 1
, 2
, 3
, 4 // returns the last value, 4
// this, however is wrong:
return
1
, 2 // returns undefined, because of semicolon-insertion.
// so is this. otb == fail.
return
{ a : "ape"
, b : "bat"
} // returns undefined,
// then creates a block with two named statements.
// this is ok:
return ( 1
, 2
) // returns 2
// so is this:
return (
{ a : "ape"
, b : "bat"
}
) // returns {a:"ape",b:"bat"}
// Addendum 2: A function call
doSomething( aPrettyLongVariableName
, "A string, which has some useful information"
, "If you put these all together, it'd be too long"
, { a: "is for antelope", b: "is for bat" }
, 42
)
// Addendum 3: More realistic error in standard style:
// leaks FIVE globals!
var a = "ape eat banana",
b = "bat, allowed to fly",
c = "cat toy",
d = "dog chasing the mailman,"
e = "elf lord",
f = "fly through the air",
g = "gnu is not unix",
h = "hat goes on your head",
i = "ibu isn't a cow";
// Error: Can't call method 'forEach' of undefined.
// not passing in undefined as an argument!??
mergeLists([ apple, [ penelope, granger ] ],
[ fun ],
[ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ]
[ "mary's store has many pies, and cookies, and eggs," ]
[ function() { doSomething() } ]);
@hcdct
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hcdct commented Jan 4, 2025

Sed

@Potherca
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Potherca commented Jan 5, 2025

@hcdct and/or awk 👍

@alystair
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alystair commented Jan 6, 2025

@KoJaMan did you create any special tooling to make things behave better? eg. custom plugins for eslint, etc. Would love to transition some code bases but docblocks not working as intended is a blocker for me sadly.

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