18 tips/tricks for Junior JavaScript Developer
Tags: javascript, webdev, codenewbie, beginners
Published: 2020-11-27 18:37:52

### 1. Convert to string

```jsx
const input = 123;

console.log(input + ''); // '123'
console.log(String(input)); // '123'
console.log(input.toString()); // '123'
```

### 2. Convert to number

```jsx
const input = '123';

console.log(+input); // 123
console.log(Number(input)); // 123
console.log(parseInt(input)); // 123
```

### 3. Convert to boolean

```jsx
const input = 1;

// Solution 1 - Use double-exclamation (!!) to convert to boolean
console.log(!!input); // true

// Solution 2 - Pass the value to Boolean()
console.log(Boolean(input)); // true
```

### 4. Problem with the string `'false'`

```jsx
const value = 'false';
console.log(Boolean(value)); // true
console.log(!!value); // true

// The best way to check would be,
console.log(value === 'false');
```

### 5. null vs undefined

`null` is a value, whereas `undefined` is not.`null` is like an empty **box**, and `undefined` is no box at all.
ex.,

```jsx
const fn = (x = 'default value') => console.log(x);

fn(undefined); // default value
fn(); // default value

fn(null); // null
```

When `null` is passed, the default value is not taken, whereas when `undefined` or nothing is passed the default value is taken.

### 6. Truthy and Falsy values

**Falsy values** - `false`, `0`, `""` (empty string), `null`, `undefined`, & `NaN`.

**Truthy values** - `"false"`, `"0"`, `{}` (empty object), & `[]` (empty array)

### 7. What changes can be made with `const`

`const` is used when the value does not change. ex,

```jsx
const name = 'Codedrops';
name = 'Codedrops.tech'; // Error

const list = [];
list = [1]; // Error

const obj = {};
obj = { name: 'Codedrops' }; // Error
```

But it can be used to update value in previously assigned arrays/objects **references**

```jsx
const list = [];
list.push(1); // Works
list[0] = 2; // Works

const obj = {};
obj['name'] = 'Codedrops'; // Works
```

### 8. Difference between double equal and triple equal

```jsx
// Double equal - Converts both the operands to the same type and then compares
console.log(0 == '0'); // true

// Triple equal - Does not convert to same type
console.log(0 === '0'); // false
```

### 9. Better way to accept arguments

```jsx
function downloadData(url, resourceId, searchText, pageNo, limit) {}

downloadData(...); // need to remember the order
```

Simpler way to do this-

```jsx
function downloadData(
{ url, resourceId, searchText, pageNo, limit } = {}
) {}

downloadData(
  { resourceId: 2, url: "/posts", searchText: "programming" }
);
```

### 10. Rewriting normal function as arrow function

```jsx
const func = function() {
	console.log('a');
	return 5;
};
func();
```

can be rewritten as

```jsx
const func = () => (console.log('a'), 5);
func();
```

### 11. Return an object/expression from arrow function

```jsx
const getState = (name) => ({name, message: 'Hi'});
```

### 12. Convert a set to an array

```jsx
const set = new Set([1, 2, 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1, 2, 4]);
console.log(set); // Set(6) {1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7}

set.map((num) => num * num); // TypeError: set.map is not a function
```

To convert to an array,

```jsx
const arr = [...set];
```

### 13. Check if a value is an array

```jsx
const arr = [1, 2, 3];
console.log(typeof arr); // object
console.log(Array.isArray(arr)); // true
```

### 14. Object keys are stored in insertion order

```jsx
const obj = {
  name: "Human",
  age: 0,
  address: "Earth",
  profession: "Coder",
};

console.log(Object.keys(obj)); // name, age, address, profession
```

`Objects` maintain the order in which the keys were created.

### 15. Nullish coalescing operator

```jsx
const height = 0;

console.log(height || 100); // 100
console.log(height ?? 100); // 0
```

`Nullish coalescing operator` (??) returns the right-hand side value only if the left-hand side value is `undefined` or `null`

### 16. map()

It is a utility function which helps in **applying a function on every element of the array**.
It returns a **new** array, which contains the values returned from that applied function. ex.,

```jsx
const numList = [1, 2, 3];

const square = (num) => {
  return num * num
}

const squares = numList.map(square);

console.log(squares); // [1, 4, 9]
```

Here, the function `square` is applied to every element. i.e., 1, 2, 3.

The returned value of that function is returned as the new  element value.

### 17. try..catch..finally - Real example

```jsx
const getData = async () => {
  try {
    setLoading(true);
    const response = await fetch(
      "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/posts"
    );
    // if error occurs here, then all the statements 
    //in the try block below this wont run.
    // Hence cannot turn off loading here.
    const data = await response.json();
    setData(data);
  } catch (error) {
    console.log(error);
    setToastMessage(error);
  } finally {
    setLoading(false); // Turn off loading irrespective of the status.
  }
};

getData();
```

### 18. Destructuring

```jsx
const response = {
  msg: "success",
  tags: ["programming", "javascript", "computer"],
  body: {
    count: 5
  },
};

const {
  body: {
    count,
        unknownProperty = 'test'
  },
} = response;

console.log(count, unknownProperty); // 5 'test'
```


---

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