JavaScript Object Accessors
JavaScript Accessors (Getters and Setters)
ECMAScript 5 (ES5 2009) introduced Getter and Setters.
Getters and setters allow you to define Object Accessors (Computed Properties).
JavaScript Getter (The get Keyword)
This example uses a lang
property to get
the value of the language
property.
Example
// Create an object:
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
language: "en",
get lang() {
return this.language;
}
};
// Display data from the object using a getter:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.lang;
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JavaScript Setter (The set Keyword)
This example uses a lang
property to set
the value of the language
property.
Example
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
language: "",
set lang(lang) {
this.language = lang;
}
};
// Set an object
property using a setter:
person.lang = "en";
// Display data from the object:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.language;
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JavaScript Function or Getter?
What is the differences between these two examples?
Example 1
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
fullName: function() {
return this.firstName + " " +
this.lastName;
}
};
// Display data from the object using a method:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.fullName();
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Example 2
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
get fullName() {
return this.firstName + " " +
this.lastName;
}
};
// Display data from the object using a getter:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.fullName;
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Example 1 access fullName as a function: person.fullName().
Example 2 access fullName as a property: person.fullName.
The second example provides a simpler syntax.
Data Quality
JavaScript can secure better data quality when using getters and setters.
Using the lang
property, in this example, returns the value
of the language
property in upper case:
Example
// Create an object:
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
language: "en",
get lang() {
return this.language.toUpperCase();
}
};
// Display data from the object using a getter:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.lang;
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Using the lang
property, in this example, stores an upper case
value in the language
property:
Example
const person = {
firstName: "John",
lastName: "Doe",
language: "",
set lang(lang) {
this.language = lang.toUpperCase();
}
};
// Set an object
property using a setter:
person.lang = "en";
// Display data from the object:
document.getElementById("demo").innerHTML = person.language;
Try it Yourself »
Why Using Getters and Setters?
- It gives simpler syntax
- It allows equal syntax for properties and methods
- It can secure better data quality
- It is useful for doing things behind-the-scenes
Object.defineProperty()
The Object.defineProperty()
method can also be used to add Getters and
Setters:
A Counter Example
// Define object
const obj = {counter : 0};
// Define setters
Object.defineProperty(obj, "reset", {
get : function () {this.counter = 0;}
});
Object.defineProperty(obj, "increment", {
get : function () {this.counter++;}
});
Object.defineProperty(obj, "decrement", {
get : function () {this.counter--;}
});
Object.defineProperty(obj, "add", {
set : function (value) {this.counter += value;}
});
Object.defineProperty(obj, "subtract", {
set : function (value) {this.counter -= value;}
});
// Play with the counter:
obj.reset;
obj.add = 5;
obj.subtract = 1;
obj.increment;
obj.decrement;
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