JavaScript Extending Class

Question

I have a base class:

function Monster() {
  this.health = 100;
}

Monster.prototype.growl = function() {
  console.log(\"Grr!\");
}

That

Answer 1

Try this:

Function.prototype.extends = function(parent) {
  this.prototype = Object.create(parent.prototype);
};

Monkey.extends(Monster);
function Monkey() {
  Monster.apply(this, arguments); // call super
}

Edit: I put a quick demo here http://jsbin.com/anekew/1/edit. Note that extends is a reserved word in JS and you may get warnings when linting your code, you can simply name it inherits, that's what I usually do.

With this helper in place and using an object props as only parameter, inheritance in JS becomes a bit simpler:

Function.prototype.inherits = function(parent) {
  this.prototype = Object.create(parent.prototype);
};

function Monster(props) {
  this.health = props.health || 100;
}

Monster.prototype = {
  growl: function() {
    return 'Grrrrr';
  }
};

Monkey.inherits(Monster);
function Monkey() {
  Monster.apply(this, arguments);
}

var monkey = new Monkey({ health: 200 });

console.log(monkey.health); //=> 200
console.log(monkey.growl()); //=> "Grrrr"

Answer 2

For Autodidacts:

function BaseClass(toBePrivate){
    var morePrivates;
    this.isNotPrivate = 'I know';
    // add your stuff
}
var o = BaseClass.prototype;
// add your prototype stuff
o.stuff_is_never_private = 'whatever_except_getter_and_setter';


// MiddleClass extends BaseClass
function MiddleClass(toBePrivate){
    BaseClass.call(this);
    // add your stuff
    var morePrivates;
    this.isNotPrivate = 'I know';
}
var o = MiddleClass.prototype = Object.create(BaseClass.prototype);
MiddleClass.prototype.constructor = MiddleClass;
// add your prototype stuff
o.stuff_is_never_private = 'whatever_except_getter_and_setter';



// TopClass extends MiddleClass
function TopClass(toBePrivate){
    MiddleClass.call(this);
    // add your stuff
    var morePrivates;
    this.isNotPrivate = 'I know';
}
var o = TopClass.prototype = Object.create(MiddleClass.prototype);
TopClass.prototype.constructor = TopClass;
// add your prototype stuff
o.stuff_is_never_private = 'whatever_except_getter_and_setter';


// to be continued...

Create "instance" with getter and setter:

function doNotExtendMe(toBePrivate){
    var morePrivates;
    return {
        // add getters, setters and any stuff you want
    }
}

Answer 3

the absolutely minimal (and correct, unlike many of the answers above) version is:

function Monkey(param){
  this.someProperty = param;
}
Monkey.prototype = Object.create(Monster.prototype);
Monkey.prototype.eatBanana = function(banana){ banana.eat() }

That's all. You can read here the longer explanation

Answer 4

This is an extension (excuse the pun) of elclanrs' solution to include detail on instance methods, as well as taking an extensible approach to that aspect of the question; I fully acknowledge that this is put together thanks to David Flanagan's "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide" (partially adjusted for this context). Note that this is clearly more verbose than other solutions, but would probably benefit in the long-term.

First we use David's simple "extend" function, which copies properties to a specified object:

function extend(o,p) {
    for (var prop in p) {
        o[prop] = p[prop];
    }
    return o;
}

Then we implement his Subclass definition utility:

function defineSubclass(superclass,     // Constructor of our superclass
                          constructor,  // Constructor of our new subclass
                          methods,      // Instance methods
                          statics) {    // Class properties
        // Set up the prototype object of the subclass
    constructor.prototype = Object.create(superclass.prototype);
    constructor.prototype.constructor = constructor;
    if (methods) extend(constructor.prototype, methods);
    if (statics) extend(constructor, statics);
    return constructor;
}

For the last bit of preparation we enhance our Function prototype with David's new jiggery-pokery:

Function.prototype.extend = function(constructor, methods, statics) {
    return defineSubclass(this, constructor, methods, statics);
};

After defining our Monster class, we do the following (which is re-usable for any new Classes we want to extend/inherit):

var Monkey = Monster.extend(
        // constructor
    function Monkey() {
        this.bananaCount = 5;
        Monster.apply(this, arguments);    // Superclass()
    },
        // methods added to prototype
    {
        eatBanana: function () {
            this.bananaCount--;
            this.health++;
            this.growl();
        }
    }
);

Answer 5

If you don't like the prototype approach, because it doesn't really behave in a nice OOP-way, you could try this:

var BaseClass = function() 
{
    this.some_var = "foobar";

    /**
     * @return string
     */
    this.someMethod = function() {
        return this.some_var;
    }
};

var MyClass = new Class({ extends: BaseClass }, function()
{
    /**
     * @param string value
     */
    this.__construct = function(value)
    {
        this.some_var = value;
    }
})

Using lightweight library (2k minified): https://github.com/haroldiedema/joii

Answer 6

ES6 gives you now the opportunity to use class & extends keywords :

Then , your code will be :

You have a base class:

class Monster{
       constructor(){
             this.health = 100;
        }
       growl() {
           console.log("Grr!");
       }

}

That You want to extend and create another class with:

class Monkey extends Monster {
        constructor(){
            super(); //don't forget "super"
            this.bananaCount = 5;
        }


        eatBanana() {
           this.bananaCount--;
           this.health++; //Accessing variable from parent class monster
           this.growl(); //Accessing function from parent class monster
        }

}