Wrong Methods vs Good Methods in javascript

Manthan Ankolekar - Dec 4 '23 - - Dev Community

In JavaScript, there are multiple ways to approach solving a problem or writing code. Some methods might be considered "wrong" because they are inefficient, prone to errors, or not following best practices. On the other hand, "good" methods are typically efficient, clear, and follow best practices. Here are examples of both:

Wrong Methods:

  • Using global variables excessively:
// Wrong method using global variables
var a = 5;

function multiplyByTwo() {
    result = a * 2; // using an undeclared global variable
    return result;
}

console.log(multiplyByTwo()); // 10
console.log(result); // 10 (modifying global scope)
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This code creates a global variable result unintentionally, which can lead to unexpected behavior and bugs.

  • Manipulating the DOM excessively:
// Wrong method of repeatedly accessing the DOM
for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
    document.getElementById('myElement').innerHTML += '<span>' + i + '</span>';
}
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In this case, accessing the DOM in a loop can be inefficient and cause performance issues, especially when updating elements frequently.

  • Not using proper error handling:
// Wrong method without proper error handling
function divide(a, b) {
    return a / b;
}

let result = divide(10, 0); // No handling of division by zero

console.log(result); // Infinity
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This code does not handle the case where the divisor is zero, leading to unexpected behavior like returning Infinity instead of properly handling the error.

Good Methods:

  • Using let/const instead of var:
// Good method using let/const
const a = 5;

function multiplyByTwo(number) {
    const result = number * 2; // using const to declare local variable
    return result;
}

console.log(multiplyByTwo(a)); // 10
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Using let and const helps avoid global scope issues and improves code readability by limiting variable scope.

  • Optimizing DOM access:
// Good method of optimizing DOM access
const myElement = document.getElementById('myElement');
let content = '';

for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
    content += '<span>' + i + '</span>';
}

myElement.innerHTML = content;
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This code optimizes DOM manipulation by minimizing direct access in a loop, improving performance.

  • Implementing error handling:
// Good method with proper error handling
function divide(a, b) {
    if (b === 0) {
        throw new Error('Division by zero is not allowed');
    }
    return a / b;
}

try {
    let result = divide(10, 0);
    console.log(result); // This line won't be reached if an error occurs
} catch (error) {
    console.error(error.message); // Handling the error message
}
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Implementing error handling ensures that potential issues are caught and dealt with gracefully, preventing unexpected outcomes.

Using the "good" methods helps in writing more efficient, maintainable, and bug-free JavaScript code.

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