Java-esque OOP in JavaScript and a jQuery fail

Question

I\'m working on a project and I\'m really trying to write object-oriented JavaScript code. I have just started reading Douglas Crockford\'s JavaScript: The Good Parts and I\'m q

Answer 1

I would say the first way you're creating methods is a misuse of jQuery. The jQuery.fn.foo syntax is generally reserved for functions that act upon a DOM element but you're using them as static functions, by using an empty jQuery object.

If you want to create static functions under the jQuery namespace, you can do:

jQuery.foo = function(){};

then call it via:

jQuery.foo();

instead of:

jQuery.fn.foo = function(){};

which allows you to do:

jQuery('#someElementId').foo();

In terms of OOP. there are many different approaches (module pattern, prototype, factory...). The way I generally approach it, is create a Class as a static function, then invoking it with the keyword new

(function($){
    var undefined;

    $.ClassName = function(options){
        var self = this;
        var cfg = $.extend(true, {}, this.defaults, options);

        // ********************
        // start:private
        // ********************
        function _init(){

        };

        // ********************
        // start:public
        // ********************
        this.methodName = function(){

        };

        _init();
    };

    $.ClassName.prototype.defaults = {};
})(jQuery);

In terms of reusing functionality, there's a threshold after which decoupling is more detrimental than anything. Make sure you keep the right balance of modularity and organization.