Search icon CANCEL
Subscription
0
Cart icon
Your Cart (0 item)
Close icon
You have no products in your basket yet
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Newsletter Hub
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
timer SALE ENDS IN
0 Days
:
00 Hours
:
00 Minutes
:
00 Seconds
Object-Oriented JavaScript
Object-Oriented JavaScript

Object-Oriented JavaScript:

eBook
$17.99 $25.99
Paperback
$43.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at $19.99p/m

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Paperback book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Redeem a companion digital copy on all Print orders
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Table of content icon View table of contents Preview book icon Preview Book

Object-Oriented JavaScript

Chapter 2. Primitive Data Types, Arrays, Loops, and Conditions

Before diving into the object-oriented features of JavaScript, let's first take a look at some of the basics. This chapter walks you through:

  • The primitive data types in JavaScript, such as strings and numbers

  • Arrays

  • Common operators, such as +, -, delete, and typeof

  • Flow control statements, such as loops and if-else conditions

Variables


Variables are used to store data. When writing programs, it is convenient to use variables instead of the actual data, as it's much easier to write pi instead of 3.141592653589793 especially when it happens several times inside your program. The data stored in a variable can be changed after it was initially assigned, hence the name "variable". Variables are also useful for storing data that is unknown to the programmer when the code is written, such as the result of later operations.

There are two steps required in order to use a variable. You need to:

  • Declare the variable

  • Initialize it, that is, give it a value

In order to declare a variable, you use the var statement, like this:

var a; 
var thisIsAVariable; 
var _and_this_too; 
var mix12three;

For the names of the variables, you can use any combination of letters, numbers, and the underscore character. However, you can't start with a number, which means that this is invalid:

var 2three4five;

To initialize a variable means to give...

Operators


Operators take one or two values (or variables), perform an operation, and return a value. Let's check out a simple example of using an operator, just to clarify the terminology.

>>> 1 + 2

3

In this code:

  • + is the operator

  • The operation is addition

  • The input values are 1 and 2 (the input values are also called operands)

  • The result value is 3

Instead of using the values 1 and 2 directly in the operation, you can use variables. You can also use a variable to store the result of the operation, as the following example demonstrates:

>>> var a = 1; 
>>> var b = 2; 
>>> a + 1 

2

>>> b + 2 

4

>>> a + b 

3

>>> var c = a + b; 
>>> c 

3

The following table lists the basic arithmetic operators:

Operator symbol

Operation

Example

+

Addition

>>> 1 + 2

3

-

Substraction

>>> 99.99 – 11

88.99

*

Multiplication

>>> 2 * 3
 6

/

Division...

Primitive Data Types


Any value that you use is of a certain type. In JavaScript, there are the following primitive data types:

  1. Number—this includes floating point numbers as well as integers, for example 1, 100, 3.14.

  2. String—any number of characters, for example "a", "one", "one 2 three".

  3. Boolean—can be either true or false.

  4. Undefined—when you try to access a variable that doesn't exist, you get the special value undefined. The same will happen when you have declared a variable, but not given it a value yet. JavaScript will initialize it behind the scenes, with the value undefined.

  5. Null—this is another special data type that can have only one value, the null value. It means no value, an empty value, nothing. The difference with undefined is that if a variable has a value null, it is still defined, it only happens that its value is nothing. You'll see some examples shortly.

Any value that doesn't belong to one of the five primitive types listed above is an object. Even null is considered an...

Primitive Data Types Recap


Let's quickly summarize what has been discussed so far:

  • There are five primitive data types in JavaScript:

    • number

    • string

    • boolean

    • undefined

    • null

  • Everything that is not a primitive is an object

  • The number data type can store positive and negative integers or floats, hexadecimal numbers, octal numbers, exponents, and the special numbers NaN, Infinity, and –Infinity

  • The string data type contains characters in quotes

  • The only values of the boolean data type are true and false

  • The only value of the null data type is the value null

  • The only value of the undefined data type is the value undefined

  • All values become true when converted to a boolean, with the exception of the six falsy values:

    • ""

    • null

    • undefined

    • 0

    • NaN

    • false

Arrays


Now that you know the basic primitive data types in JavaScript, it's time to move to a more interesting data structure—the array.

To declare a variable that contains an empty array, you use square brackets with nothing between them:

>>> var a = [];
>>> typeof a; 

"object"

typeof returns "object", but don't worry about this for the time being, we'll get to that when we take a closer look at objects.

To define an array that has three elements, you do this:

>>> var a = [1,2,3];

When you simply type the name of the array in the Firebug console, it prints the contents of the array:

>>> a 

[1, 2, 3]

So what is an array exactly? It's simply a list of values. Instead of using one variable to store one value, you can use one array variable to store any number of values as elements of the array. Now the question is how to access each of these stored values?

The elements contained in an array are indexed with consecutive numbers starting from zero...

Conditions and Loops


Conditions provide a simple but powerful way to control the flow of execution through a piece of code. Loops allow you to perform repeating operations with less code. Let's take a look at:

  • if conditions,

  • switch statements,

  • while, do-while, for, and for-in loops.

Code Blocks

Let's start by clarifying what a block of code is, as blocks are used extensively when constructing conditions and loops.

A block of code consists of zero or more expressions enclosed in curly brackets.

{
  var a = 1; 
  var b = 3;
}

You can nest blocks within each other indefinitely:

{
  var a = 1; 
  var b = 3;
  var c, d;
  {
    c = a + b;
    {
      d = a - b;
    }
  }
}

Tip

Best Practice Tips

  • Use end-of-line semicolons. Although the semicolon is optional when you have one expression per line, it's good to develop the habit of using them. For best readability, the individual expressions inside a block should be placed one per line and separated by semi-colons.

  • Indent any code placed within curly...

Comments


One last thing for this chapter: comments. Inside your JavaScript code you can put comments. These are ignored by the JavaScript engine and don't have any effect on how the program works. But they can be invaluable when you revisit your code after a few months, or transfer the code to someone else for maintenance.

Two types of comments are allowed:

  • Single line comments—start with // and end at the end of the line

  • Multi-line comments—start with /* and end with */ on the same line or any subsequent line. Note that any code in between the comment start and the comment end will be ignored.

Some examples:

// beginning of line
var a = 1; // anywhere on the line
/* multi-line comment on a single line */	
/* 
    comment
    that spans
    several lines
 */

There are even utilities, such as JSDoc, that can parse your code and extract meaningful documentation based on your comments.

Summary


In this chapter, you learned a lot about the basic building blocks of a JavaScript program. Now you know the primitive data types:

  • number

  • string

  • boolean

  • undefined

  • null

You also know quite a few operators:

  • Arithmetic operators: +, -, *, /, and %.

  • Increment operators: ++ and --.

  • Assignment operators: =, +=, -=, *=, /=, and %=.

  • Special operators: typeof and delete.

  • Logical operators: &&, ||, and !.

  • Comparison operators: ==, ===, !=, !==, <, >, >=, and <=.

Then you learned how to use arrays to store and access data, and finally you saw different ways to control the flow of your program—using conditions (if-else or switch) and loops (while, do-while, for, for-in).

This is quite a bit of information and it is recommended that you now go through the exercises below, then give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back before diving into the next chapter. More fun is coming up!

Exercises


  1. What is the result of executing each of these lines in the console? Why?

    • var a; typeof a;

    • var s = '1s'; s++;

    • !!"false"

    • !!undefined

    • typeof -Infinity

    • 10 % "0"

    • undefined == null

    • false === ""

    • typeof "2E+2"

    • a = 3e+3; a++;

  2. What is the value of v after the following?

    >>> var v = v || 10;

    Experiment by first setting v to 100, 0, null, or unset it (delete v).

  3. Write a script that prints out the multiplication table. Hint: use a loop nested inside another loop.

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

What you will learn

  • Learn to think in JavaScript, the language of the web browser The basics of object-oriented programming, and how they apply to JavaScript Set up and use your training environment (Firebug) Master data types, operators, and flow control statements Understand functions: usage patterns, variable scope, and built-in functions Closures demystified Create and use objects Understand and use prototypes Reuse code with common patterns for inheritance Understand and work with the BOM (Browser Object Model) The DOM (Document Object Model) â€- accessing, modifying, adding, and deleting nodes Build responsive web pages with AJAX JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) Listen and respond to browser events Apply design patterns to solve common problems Adopt coding patterns that unleash the unique power of the language Make your programs cleaner, faster, and compatible with other programs and libraries Achieve missing object-oriented features in JavaScript such as private properties and methods
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to United States

Economy delivery 10 - 13 business days

Free $6.95

Premium delivery 6 - 9 business days

$21.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Country selected
Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jul 23, 2008
Length: 356 pages
Edition :
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781847194145
Category :
Languages :

What do you get with Print?

Product feature icon Instant access to your digital copy whilst your Print order is Shipped
Product feature icon Paperback book shipped to your preferred address
Product feature icon Redeem a companion digital copy on all Print orders
Product feature icon Access this title in our online reader with advanced features
Product feature icon DRM FREE - Read whenever, wherever and however you want
OR
Modal Close icon
Payment Processing...
tick Completed

Shipping Address

Billing Address

Shipping Methods
Estimated delivery fee Deliver to United States

Economy delivery 10 - 13 business days

Free $6.95

Premium delivery 6 - 9 business days

$21.95
(Includes tracking information)

Product Details

Publication date : Jul 23, 2008
Length: 356 pages
Edition :
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781847194145
Category :
Languages :

Packt Subscriptions

See our plans and pricing
Modal Close icon
$19.99 billed monthly
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Simple pricing, no contract
$199.99 billed annually
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts
$279.99 billed in 18 months
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just $5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts

Frequently bought together


Stars icon
Total $ 120.97
Object-Oriented JavaScript
$43.99
Responsive Web Design with HTML5 and CSS3
$43.99
JavaScript and JSON Essentials
$32.99
Total $ 120.97 Stars icon

Table of Contents

8 Chapters
Introduction Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Primitive Data Types, Arrays, Loops, and Conditions Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Functions Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Objects Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Prototype Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Inheritance Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
The Browser Environment Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Coding and Design Patterns Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Top Reviews
Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.5
(48 Ratings)
5 star 66.7%
4 star 22.9%
3 star 4.2%
2 star 4.2%
1 star 2.1%
Filter icon Filter
Top Reviews

Filter reviews by




Nicolas Mussat Dec 05, 2009
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
A very great book to get insights on Javascript, common design patterns.Well written, loaded with examples, clear, a very useful book.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Jash Jun 05, 2013
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is my first review in the 7 years that I have been buying stuff on Amazon. Yes, I'm that lazy. So the fact that I dragged my lazy ass to the review section should tell you something.We recently started using node.js at work for some server side scripting. Since I had no experience in Javascript, I figured I should pick up a book and get up to speed on it. I tried pretty much all popular Javascript books, but none come anywhere close to this for explaining concepts of the Javascript language in a clear, concise and lucid manner. To save you the trouble, here's my experience with the popular/top rated JS books:1. Professional Javascript for web developers - comprehensive, but not as clear or well structured. The author is obviously very knowledgeable, but a good book is much more than a brain dump. TMI!2. Javascript the good parts - useful for those who already know the language.3. Eloquent Javascript - more about programming style than Javascript.4. Pretty much every other book - primary focus is browser, rather than Javascript. Good if that's the scope of your work, but not if you want a solid understanding of the language itself.I have only 2 small complaints:1. I'd like to see a chapter on error handling2. and a chapter on event driven (asynchronous) programmingOther than that, this thing is dang near perfectMy recommendation would be to read the following books in the specified order:1. Object Oriented Javascript2. Javascript the good parts (optional - this will mostly be a refresher after OOJ)3. Eloquent JavascriptPS: I'm not getting paid to say any of this. It really is one of the better technical books I've read in a while.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Tom Feb 18, 2013
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This book is a very comprehensive guide to understand how Javascript apply concepts like OOP, but not only that, it also shows how the industry leading frameworks apply inheritance through the use of prototypes. It is suitable for beginners and for advanced Javascript programmers; beginners will learn the language foundations and progress to tricky topics, and advanced developers will improve their skills to build better structures with the right techniques. It is a compulsory acquisition as it can be used as a quick reference for classical inheritance in Javascript.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
David Neece Aug 15, 2009
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Great choice for developers learning oop concepts on the client. Its well written and contains just what is needed to kick-off client side coding. I'd recommend it for new to intermediate js developers. However, intermediate developers have probably written similar code, or at least read it elsewhere. Every shop should own a copy!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Edgar martinez Aug 23, 2011
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Really liked this book. It is probably not the perfect book for someone already very familiar with JavaScript but this is a book worth having for sure. Again if you are an expert with OOP and wonder if this will test your metal, its probably not for you. It is a great introduction to JavaScript and OOP with JavaScript. I would say that every Web developer should have this book around no matter what.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Get free access to Packt library with over 7500+ books and video courses for 7 days!
Start Free Trial

FAQs

What is the digital copy I get with my Print order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

When you buy any Print edition of our Books, you can redeem (for free) the eBook edition of the Print Book you’ve purchased. This gives you instant access to your book when you make an order via PDF, EPUB or our online Reader experience.

What is the delivery time and cost of print book? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela
What is custom duty/charge? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customs duty are charges levied on goods when they cross international borders. It is a tax that is imposed on imported goods. These duties are charged by special authorities and bodies created by local governments and are meant to protect local industries, economies, and businesses.

Do I have to pay customs charges for the print book order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The orders shipped to the countries that are listed under EU27 will not bear custom charges. They are paid by Packt as part of the order.

List of EU27 countries: www.gov.uk/eu-eea:

A custom duty or localized taxes may be applicable on the shipment and would be charged by the recipient country outside of the EU27 which should be paid by the customer and these duties are not included in the shipping charges been charged on the order.

How do I know my custom duty charges? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The amount of duty payable varies greatly depending on the imported goods, the country of origin and several other factors like the total invoice amount or dimensions like weight, and other such criteria applicable in your country.

For example:

  • If you live in Mexico, and the declared value of your ordered items is over $ 50, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 19% which will be $ 9.50 to the courier service.
  • Whereas if you live in Turkey, and the declared value of your ordered items is over € 22, for you to receive a package, you will have to pay additional import tax of 18% which will be € 3.96 to the courier service.
How can I cancel my order? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Cancellation Policy for Published Printed Books:

You can cancel any order within 1 hour of placing the order. Simply contact customercare@packt.com with your order details or payment transaction id. If your order has already started the shipment process, we will do our best to stop it. However, if it is already on the way to you then when you receive it, you can contact us at customercare@packt.com using the returns and refund process.

Please understand that Packt Publishing cannot provide refunds or cancel any order except for the cases described in our Return Policy (i.e. Packt Publishing agrees to replace your printed book because it arrives damaged or material defect in book), Packt Publishing will not accept returns.

What is your returns and refunds policy? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Return Policy:

We want you to be happy with your purchase from Packtpub.com. We will not hassle you with returning print books to us. If the print book you receive from us is incorrect, damaged, doesn't work or is unacceptably late, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com with the order number and issue details as explained below:

  1. If you ordered (eBook, Video or Print Book) incorrectly or accidentally, please contact Customer Relations Team on customercare@packt.com within one hour of placing the order and we will replace/refund you the item cost.
  2. Sadly, if your eBook or Video file is faulty or a fault occurs during the eBook or Video being made available to you, i.e. during download then you should contact Customer Relations Team within 14 days of purchase on customercare@packt.com who will be able to resolve this issue for you.
  3. You will have a choice of replacement or refund of the problem items.(damaged, defective or incorrect)
  4. Once Customer Care Team confirms that you will be refunded, you should receive the refund within 10 to 12 working days.
  5. If you are only requesting a refund of one book from a multiple order, then we will refund you the appropriate single item.
  6. Where the items were shipped under a free shipping offer, there will be no shipping costs to refund.

On the off chance your printed book arrives damaged, with book material defect, contact our Customer Relation Team on customercare@packt.com within 14 days of receipt of the book with appropriate evidence of damage and we will work with you to secure a replacement copy, if necessary. Please note that each printed book you order from us is individually made by Packt's professional book-printing partner which is on a print-on-demand basis.

What tax is charged? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Currently, no tax is charged on the purchase of any print book (subject to change based on the laws and regulations). A localized VAT fee is charged only to our European and UK customers on eBooks, Video and subscriptions that they buy. GST is charged to Indian customers for eBooks and video purchases.

What payment methods can I use? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

You can pay with the following card types:

  1. Visa Debit
  2. Visa Credit
  3. MasterCard
  4. PayPal
What is the delivery time and cost of print books? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Shipping Details

USA:

'

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the US within 10-15 business days

Premium: Trackable Delivery to most addresses in the US within 3-8 business days

UK:

Economy: Delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 7-9 business days.
Shipments are not trackable

Premium: Trackable delivery to most addresses in the U.K. within 3-4 business days!
Add one extra business day for deliveries to Northern Ireland and Scottish Highlands and islands

EU:

Premium: Trackable delivery to most EU destinations within 4-9 business days.

Australia:

Economy: Can deliver to P. O. Boxes and private residences.
Trackable service with delivery to addresses in Australia only.
Delivery time ranges from 7-9 business days for VIC and 8-10 business days for Interstate metro
Delivery time is up to 15 business days for remote areas of WA, NT & QLD.

Premium: Delivery to addresses in Australia only
Trackable delivery to most P. O. Boxes and private residences in Australia within 4-5 days based on the distance to a destination following dispatch.

India:

Premium: Delivery to most Indian addresses within 5-6 business days

Rest of the World:

Premium: Countries in the American continent: Trackable delivery to most countries within 4-7 business days

Asia:

Premium: Delivery to most Asian addresses within 5-9 business days

Disclaimer:
All orders received before 5 PM U.K time would start printing from the next business day. So the estimated delivery times start from the next day as well. Orders received after 5 PM U.K time (in our internal systems) on a business day or anytime on the weekend will begin printing the second to next business day. For example, an order placed at 11 AM today will begin printing tomorrow, whereas an order placed at 9 PM tonight will begin printing the day after tomorrow.


Unfortunately, due to several restrictions, we are unable to ship to the following countries:

  1. Afghanistan
  2. American Samoa
  3. Belarus
  4. Brunei Darussalam
  5. Central African Republic
  6. The Democratic Republic of Congo
  7. Eritrea
  8. Guinea-bissau
  9. Iran
  10. Lebanon
  11. Libiya Arab Jamahriya
  12. Somalia
  13. Sudan
  14. Russian Federation
  15. Syrian Arab Republic
  16. Ukraine
  17. Venezuela