JavaScript private methods

Question

To make a JavaScript class with a public method I\'d do something like:

function Restaurant() {}

Restaurant.prototype.buy_food = function(){
   // something         


        

Answer 1

Personally, I prefer the following pattern for creating classes in JavaScript :

var myClass = (function() {
    // Private class properties go here

    var blueprint = function() {
        // Private instance properties go here
        ...
    };

    blueprint.prototype = { 
        // Public class properties go here
        ...
    };

    return  {
         // Public class properties go here
        create : function() { return new blueprint(); }
        ...
    };
})();

As you can see, it allows you to define both class properties and instance properties, each of which can be public and private.

---

Demo

var Restaurant = function() {
    var totalfoodcount = 0;        // Private class property
    var totalrestroomcount  = 0;   // Private class property
    
    var Restaurant = function(name){
        var foodcount = 0;         // Private instance property
        var restroomcount  = 0;    // Private instance property
        
        this.name = name
        
        this.incrementFoodCount = function() {
            foodcount++;
            totalfoodcount++;
            this.printStatus();
        };
        this.incrementRestroomCount = function() {
            restroomcount++;
            totalrestroomcount++;
            this.printStatus();
        };
        this.getRestroomCount = function() {
            return restroomcount;
        },
        this.getFoodCount = function() {
            return foodcount;
        }
    };
   
    Restaurant.prototype = {
        name : '',
        buy_food : function(){
           this.incrementFoodCount();
        },
        use_restroom : function(){
           this.incrementRestroomCount();
        },
        getTotalRestroomCount : function() {
            return totalrestroomcount;
        },
        getTotalFoodCount : function() {
            return totalfoodcount;
        },
        printStatus : function() {
           document.body.innerHTML
               += '
Buying food at '+this.name+'
'
               + '
' 
               + '
Restroom count at ' + this.name + ' : '+ this.getRestroomCount() + '
'
               + '
Food count at ' + this.name + ' : ' + this.getFoodCount() + '
'
               + '
Total restroom count : '+ this.getTotalRestroomCount() + '
'
               + '
Total food count : '+ this.getTotalFoodCount() + '
'
               + '
';
        }
    };

    return  { // Singleton public properties
        create : function(name) {
            return new Restaurant(name);
        },
        printStatus : function() {
          document.body.innerHTML
              += '
'
              + '
Overview
'
              + '
' 
              + '
Total restroom count : '+ Restaurant.prototype.getTotalRestroomCount() + '
'
              + '
Total food count : '+ Restaurant.prototype.getTotalFoodCount() + '
'
              + '
'
              + '
';
        }
    };
}();

var Wendys = Restaurant.create("Wendy's");
var McDonalds = Restaurant.create("McDonald's");
var KFC = Restaurant.create("KFC");
var BurgerKing = Restaurant.create("Burger King");

Restaurant.printStatus();

Wendys.buy_food();
Wendys.use_restroom();
KFC.use_restroom();
KFC.use_restroom();
Wendys.use_restroom();
McDonalds.buy_food();
BurgerKing.buy_food();

Restaurant.printStatus();

BurgerKing.buy_food();
Wendys.use_restroom();
McDonalds.buy_food();
KFC.buy_food();
Wendys.buy_food();
BurgerKing.buy_food();
McDonalds.buy_food();

Restaurant.printStatus();

See also this Fiddle.