A mostly reasonable approach to JavaScript
- Standard Library
- References
- Objects
- Arrays
- Destructuring
- Strings
- Functions
- Arrow Functions
- Classes & Constructors
- Properties
- Variables
- Comparison Operators & Equality
- Blocks
- Control Statements
- Comments
- Whitespace
- Commas
- Semicolons
- Type Casting & Coercion
- Naming Conventions
- Accessors
- Events
- Testing
- Performance
- License
- Amendments
The Standard Library contains utilities that are functionally broken but remain for legacy reasons.
-
1.1 Use
Number.isNaN
instead of globalisNaN
. eslint:no-restricted-globals
Why? The global
isNaN
coerces non-numbers to numbers, returning true for anything that coerces to NaN. If this behavior is desired, make it explicit.// bad isNaN('1.2'); // false isNaN('1.2.3'); // true // good Number.isNaN('1.2.3'); // false Number.isNaN(Number('1.2.3')); // true
-
1.2 Use
Number.isFinite
instead of globalisFinite
. eslint:no-restricted-globals
Why? The global
isFinite
coerces non-numbers to numbers, returning true for anything that coerces to a finite number. If this behavior is desired, make it explicit.// bad isFinite('2e3'); // true // good Number.isFinite('2e3'); // false Number.isFinite(parseInt('2e3', 10)); // true
-
2.1 Use
const
for all of your references; avoid usingvar
. eslint:prefer-const
)Why? This ensures that you can’t reassign your references, which can lead to bugs and difficult to comprehend code.
// bad var a = 1; var b = 2; // good const a = 1; const b = 2;
-
2.2 If you must reassign references, use
let
instead ofvar
)Why?
let
is block-scoped rather than function-scoped likevar
.// bad var count = 1; if (true) { count += 1; } // good, use the let. let count = 1; if (true) { count += 1; }
-
2.3 Note that both
let
andconst
are block-scoped.// const and let only exist in the blocks they are defined in. { let a = 1; const b = 1; } console.log(a); // ReferenceError console.log(b); // ReferenceError
-
3.1 Use object method shorthand. eslint:
object-shorthand
// bad const atom = { value: 1, addValue: function (value) { return atom.value + value; }, }; // good const atom = { value: 1, addValue(value) { return atom.value + value; }, };
-
3.2 Use property value shorthand. eslint:
object-shorthand
Why? It is shorter and descriptive.
const lukeSkywalker = 'Luke Skywalker'; // bad const obj = { lukeSkywalker: lukeSkywalker, }; // good const obj = { lukeSkywalker, };
-
3.3 Group your shorthand properties at the beginning of your object declaration.
Why? It’s easier to tell which properties are using the shorthand.
const anakinSkywalker = 'Anakin Skywalker'; const lukeSkywalker = 'Luke Skywalker'; // bad const obj = { episodeOne: 1, twoJediWalkIntoACantina: 2, lukeSkywalker, episodeThree: 3, mayTheFourth: 4, anakinSkywalker, }; // good const obj = { lukeSkywalker, anakinSkywalker, episodeOne: 1, twoJediWalkIntoACantina: 2, episodeThree: 3, mayTheFourth: 4, };
-
3.4 Only quote properties that are invalid identifiers. eslint:
quote-props
Why? In general we consider it subjectively easier to read. It improves syntax highlighting, and is also more easily optimized by many JS engines.
// bad const bad = { 'foo': 3, 'bar': 4, 'data-blah': 5, }; // good const good = { foo: 3, bar: 4, 'data-blah': 5, };
-
3.5 Prefer the object spread operator over
Object.assign
to shallow-copy objects. Use the object rest operator to get a new object with certain properties omitted.// very bad const original = { a: 1, b: 2 }; const copy = Object.assign(original, { c: 3 }); // this mutates `original` ಠ_ಠ delete copy.a; // so does this // bad const original = { a: 1, b: 2 }; const copy = Object.assign({}, original, { c: 3 }); // copy => { a: 1, b: 2, c: 3 } // good const original = { a: 1, b: 2 }; const copy = { ...original, c: 3 }; // copy => { a: 1, b: 2, c: 3 } const { a, ...noA } = copy; // noA => { b: 2, c: 3 }
-
4.1 Use array spreads
...
to copy arrays.// bad const len = items.length; const itemsCopy = []; let i; for (i = 0; i < len; i += 1) { itemsCopy[i] = items[i]; } // good const itemsCopy = [...items];
-
4.2 Use
Array.from
for converting an array-like object to an array.const arrLike = { 0: 'foo', 1: 'bar', 2: 'baz', length: 3 }; // bad const arr = Array.prototype.slice.call(arrLike); // good const arr = Array.from(arrLike);
-
4.3 Use return statements in array method callbacks. It’s ok to omit the return if the function body consists of a single statement returning an expression without side effects, following 8.2. eslint:
array-callback-return
// good [1, 2, 3].map((x) => { const y = x + 1; return x * y; }); // good [1, 2, 3].map((x) => x + 1); // bad - no returned value means `acc` becomes undefined after the first iteration [[0, 1], [2, 3], [4, 5]].reduce((acc, item, index) => { const flatten = acc.concat(item); }); // good [[0, 1], [2, 3], [4, 5]].reduce((acc, item, index) => { const flatten = acc.concat(item); return flatten; }); // bad inbox.filter((msg) => { const { subject, author } = msg; if (subject === 'Mockingbird') { return author === 'Harper Lee'; } else { return false; } }); // good inbox.filter((msg) => { const { subject, author } = msg; if (subject === 'Mockingbird') { return author === 'Harper Lee'; } return false; });
-
5.1 Use object destructuring when accessing and using multiple properties of an object. eslint:
prefer-destructuring
Why? Destructuring saves you from creating temporary references for those properties.
// bad function getFullName(user) { const firstName = user.firstName; const lastName = user.lastName; return `${firstName} ${lastName}`; } // good function getFullName(user) { const { firstName, lastName } = user; return `${firstName} ${lastName}`; } // best function getFullName({ firstName, lastName }) { return `${firstName} ${lastName}`; }
-
5.2 Use array destructuring. eslint:
prefer-destructuring
const arr = [1, 2, 3, 4]; // bad const first = arr[0]; const second = arr[1]; // good const [first, second] = arr;
-
5.3 Use object destructuring for multiple return values, not array destructuring.
Why? You can add new properties over time or change the order of things without breaking call sites.
// bad function processInput(input) { // then a miracle occurs return [left, right, top, bottom]; } // the caller needs to think about the order of return data const [left, __, top] = processInput(input); // good function processInput(input) { // then a miracle occurs return { left, right, top, bottom }; } // the caller selects only the data they need const { left, top } = processInput(input);
-
6.1 Use single quotes
''
for strings. eslint:quotes
// bad const name = "Capt. Janeway"; // bad - template literals should contain interpolation or newlines const name = `Capt. Janeway`; // good const name = 'Capt. Janeway';
-
6.2 When programmatically building up strings, use template strings instead of concatenation. eslint:
prefer-template
template-curly-spacing
Why? Template strings give you a readable, concise syntax with proper newlines and string interpolation features.
// bad function sayHi(name) { return 'How are you, ' + name + '?'; } // bad function sayHi(name) { return ['How are you, ', name, '?'].join(); } // bad function sayHi(name) { return `How are you, ${ name }?`; } // good function sayHi(name) { return `How are you, ${name}?`; }
-
6.3 Do not unnecessarily escape characters in strings. eslint:
no-useless-escape
Why? Backslashes harm readability, thus they should only be present when necessary.
// bad const foo = '\'this\' \i\s \"quoted\"'; // good const foo = '\'this\' is "quoted"'; const foo = `my name is '${name}'`;
-
7.1 Use named function expressions instead of function declarations. eslint:
func-style
Why? Function declarations are hoisted, which means that it’s easy - too easy - to reference the function before it is defined in the file. This harms readability and maintainability. If you find that a function’s definition is large or complex enough that it is interfering with understanding the rest of the file, then perhaps it’s time to extract it to its own module!
// bad function foo() { // ... } // good const foo = function () { // ... }; // good const foo = () => { // ... };
- 7.2 Never declare a function in a non-function block (
if
,while
, etc). Assign the function to a variable instead. Browsers will allow you to do it, but they all interpret it differently, which is bad news bears. eslint:no-loop-func
-
7.3 Note: ECMA-262 defines a
block
as a list of statements. A function declaration is not a statement.// bad if (currentUser) { function test() { console.log('Nope.'); } } // good let test; if (currentUser) { test = () => { console.log('Yup.'); }; }
-
7.4 Never use
arguments
, opt to use rest syntax...
instead. eslint:prefer-rest-params
Why?
...
is explicit about which arguments you want pulled. Plus, rest arguments are a real Array, and not merely Array-like likearguments
.// bad function concatenateAll() { const args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments); return args.join(''); } // good function concatenateAll(...args) { return args.join(''); }
-
7.5 Use default parameter syntax rather than mutating function arguments.
// really bad function handleThings(opts) { // No! We shouldn’t mutate function arguments. // Double bad: if opts is falsy it'll be set to an object which may // be what you want but it can introduce subtle bugs. opts = opts || {}; // ... } // still bad function handleThings(opts) { if (opts === void 0) { opts = {}; } // ... } // good function handleThings(opts = {}) { // ... }
-
7.6 Always put default parameters last.
// bad function handleThings(opts = {}, name) { // ... } // good function handleThings(name, opts = {}) { // ... }
-
7.7 Spacing in a function signature. eslint:
space-before-function-paren
space-before-blocks
Why? Consistency is good, and you shouldn’t have to add or remove a space when adding or removing a name.
// bad const f = function(){}; const g = function (){}; const h = function() {}; // good const x = function () {}; const y = function a() {};
-
7.8 Never mutate parameters. eslint:
no-param-reassign
Why? Manipulating objects passed in as parameters can cause unwanted variable side effects in the original caller.
// bad function f1(obj) { obj.key = 1; } // good function f2(obj) { const key = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, 'key') ? obj.key : 1; }
-
7.9 Never reassign parameters. eslint:
no-param-reassign
Why? Reassigning parameters can lead to unexpected behavior, especially when accessing the
arguments
object. It can also cause optimization issues, especially in V8.// bad function f1(a) { a = 1; // ... } function f2(a) { if (!a) { a = 1; } // ... } // good function f3(a) { const b = a || 1; // ... } function f4(a = 1) { // ... }
-
7.10 Functions with multiline signatures, or invocations, should be indented just like every other multiline list in this guide: with each item on a line by itself, with a trailing comma on the last item. eslint:
function-paren-newline
// bad function foo(bar, baz, quux) { // ... } // good function foo( bar, baz, quux, ) { // ... } // bad console.log(foo, bar, baz); // good console.log( foo, bar, baz, );
-
8.1 When you must use an anonymous function (as when passing an inline callback), use arrow function notation. eslint:
prefer-arrow-callback
,arrow-spacing
Why? It creates a version of the function that executes in the context of
this
, which is usually what you want, and is a more concise syntax.Why not? If you have a fairly complicated function, you might move that logic out into its own named function expression.
// bad [1, 2, 3].map(function (x) { const y = x + 1; return x * y; }); // good [1, 2, 3].map((x) => { const y = x + 1; return x * y; });
-
8.2 If the function body consists of a single statement returning an expression without side effects, omit the braces and use the implicit return. Otherwise, keep the braces and use a
return
statement. eslint:arrow-parens
,arrow-body-style
Why? Syntactic sugar. It reads well when multiple functions are chained together.
// bad [1, 2, 3].map((number) => { const nextNumber = number + 1; `A string containing the ${nextNumber}.`; }); // good [1, 2, 3].map((number) => `A string containing the ${number + 1}.`); // good [1, 2, 3].map((number) => { const nextNumber = number + 1; return `A string containing the ${nextNumber}.`; }); // good [1, 2, 3].map((number, index) => ({ [index]: number, })); // No implicit return with side effects function foo(callback) { const val = callback(); if (val === true) { // Do something if callback returns true } } let bool = false; // bad foo(() => bool = true); // good foo(() => { bool = true; });
-
8.3 Include parentheses around arguments when it's necessary. eslint:
arrow-parens
Why? Syntactic sugar.
// bad [1, 2, 3].map((x) => x * x); // good [1, 2, 3].map(x => x * x);
-
8.4 Enforce the location of arrow function bodies with implicit returns. eslint:
implicit-arrow-linebreak
// bad (foo) => bar; (foo) => (bar); // good (foo) => bar; (foo) => (bar); (foo) => ( bar )
-
9.1 Always use
class
. Avoid manipulatingprototype
directly.Why?
class
syntax is more concise and easier to reason about.// bad function Queue(contents = []) { this.queue = [...contents]; } Queue.prototype.pop = function () { const value = this.queue[0]; this.queue.splice(0, 1); return value; }; // good class Queue { constructor(contents = []) { this.queue = [...contents]; } pop() { const value = this.queue[0]; this.queue.splice(0, 1); return value; } }
-
9.2 Use
extends
for inheritance.Why? It is a built-in way to inherit prototype functionality without breaking
instanceof
.// bad const inherits = require('inherits'); function PeekableQueue(contents) { Queue.apply(this, contents); } inherits(PeekableQueue, Queue); PeekableQueue.prototype.peek = function () { return this.queue[0]; }; // good class PeekableQueue extends Queue { peek() { return this.queue[0]; } }
-
9.3 Avoid duplicate class members. eslint:
no-dupe-class-members
Why? Duplicate class member declarations will silently prefer the last one - having duplicates is almost certainly a bug.
// bad class Foo { bar() { return 1; } bar() { return 2; } } // good class Foo { bar() { return 1; } }
-
9.4 Class methods should use
this
or be made into a static method unless an external library or framework requires to use specific non-static methods. Being an instance method should indicate that it behaves differently based on properties of the receiver. eslint:class-methods-use-this
// bad class Foo { bar() { console.log('bar'); } } // good - this is used class Foo { bar() { console.log(this.bar); } } // good - constructor is exempt class Foo { constructor() { // ... } } // good - static methods aren't expected to use this class Foo { static bar() { console.log('bar'); } }
-
10.1 Use dot notation when accessing properties. eslint:
dot-notation
const luke = { jedi: true, age: 28, }; // bad const isJedi = luke['jedi']; // good const isJedi = luke.jedi;
-
10.2 Use bracket notation
[]
when accessing properties with a variable.const luke = { jedi: true, age: 28, }; function getProp(prop) { return luke[prop]; } const isJedi = getProp('jedi');
-
10.3 Use exponentiation operator
**
when calculating exponentiations. eslint:no-restricted-properties
.// bad const binary = Math.pow(2, 10); // good const binary = 2 ** 10;
-
11.1 Always use
const
orlet
to declare variables. Not doing so will result in global variables. We want to avoid polluting the global namespace. Captain Planet warned us of that. eslint:no-undef
prefer-const
Tip: Don't use var. var declarations get hoisted to the top of their closest enclosing function scope. Function declarations hoist their name and the function body.
// bad superPower = new SuperPower(); // good const superPower = new SuperPower();
-
11.2 Use one
const
orlet
declaration per variable or assignment. eslint:one-var
Why? It’s easier to add new variable declarations this way, and you never have to worry about swapping out a
;
for a,
or introducing punctuation-only diffs. You can also step through each declaration with the debugger, instead of jumping through all of them at once.// bad const items = getItems(), goSportsTeam = true, dragonball = 'z'; // bad // (compare to above, and try to spot the mistake) const items = getItems(), goSportsTeam = true; dragonball = 'z'; // good const items = getItems(); const goSportsTeam = true; const dragonball = 'z';
-
11.3 Group all your
const
s and then group all yourlet
s.Why? This is helpful when later on you might need to assign a variable depending on one of the previous assigned variables.
// bad let i, len, dragonball, items = getItems(), goSportsTeam = true; // bad let i; const items = getItems(); let dragonball; const goSportsTeam = true; let len; // good const goSportsTeam = true; const items = getItems(); let dragonball; let i; let length;
-
11.4 Assign variables where you need them, but place them in a reasonable place.
Why?
let
andconst
are block scoped and not function scoped.// bad - unnecessary function call function checkName(hasName) { const name = getName(); if (hasName === 'test') { return false; } if (name === 'test') { this.setName(''); return false; } return name; } // good function checkName(hasName) { if (hasName === 'test') { return false; } const name = getName(); if (name === 'test') { this.setName(''); return false; } return name; }
-
11.5 Don’t chain variable assignments. eslint:
no-multi-assign
Why? Chaining variable assignments creates implicit global variables.
// bad (function example() { // JavaScript interprets this as // let a = ( b = ( c = 1 ) ); // The let keyword only applies to variable a; variables b and c become // global variables. let a = b = c = 1; }()); console.log(a); // throws ReferenceError console.log(b); // 1 console.log(c); // 1 // good (function example() { let a = 1; let b = a; let c = a; }()); console.log(a); // throws ReferenceError console.log(b); // throws ReferenceError console.log(c); // throws ReferenceError // the same applies for `const`
-
11.6 Avoid using unary increments and decrements (
++
,--
). eslintno-plusplus
Why? Per the eslint documentation, unary increment and decrement statements are subject to automatic semicolon insertion and can cause silent errors with incrementing or decrementing values within an application. It is also more expressive to mutate your values with statements like
num += 1
instead ofnum++
ornum ++
. Disallowing unary increment and decrement statements also prevents you from pre-incrementing/pre-decrementing values unintentionally which can also cause unexpected behavior in your programs.// bad const array = [1, 2, 3]; let num = 1; num++; --num; let sum = 0; let truthyCount = 0; for (let i = 0; i < array.length; i++) { let value = array[i]; sum += value; if (value) { truthyCount++; } } // good const array = [1, 2, 3]; let num = 1; num += 1; num -= 1; const sum = array.reduce((a, b) => a + b, 0); const truthyCount = array.filter(Boolean).length;
-
11.7 Avoid linebreaks before or after
=
in an assignment. If your assignment violatesmax-len
, surround the value in parens. eslintoperator-linebreak
.Why? Linebreaks surrounding
=
can obfuscate the value of an assignment.// bad const foo = superLongLongLongLongLongLongLongLongFunctionName(); // bad const foo = 'superLongLongLongLongLongLongLongLongString'; // good const foo = ( superLongLongLongLongLongLongLongLongFunctionName() ); // good const foo = 'superLongLongLongLongLongLongLongLongString';
-
11.8 Disallow unused variables. eslint:
no-unused-vars
Why? Variables that are declared and not used anywhere in the code are most likely an error due to incomplete refactoring. Such variables take up space in the code and can lead to confusion by readers.
// bad var some_unused_var = 42; // Write-only variables are not considered as used. var y = 10; y = 5; // A read for a modification of itself is not considered as used. var z = 0; z = z + 1; // Unused function arguments. function getX(x, y) { return x; } // good function getXPlusY(x, y) { return x + y; } var x = 1; var y = a + 2; alert(getXPlusY(x, y)); // 'type' is ignored even if unused because it has a rest property sibling. // This is a form of extracting an object that omits the specified keys. var { type, ...coords } = data; // 'coords' is now the 'data' object without its 'type' property.
-
12.2 Use shortcuts for booleans, but explicit comparisons for strings and numbers.
// bad if (isValid === true) { // ... } // good if (isValid) { // ... } // bad if (name) { // ... } // good if (name !== '') { // ... } // bad if (collection.length) { // ... } // good if (collection.length > 0) { // ... }
-
12.3 Ternaries should not be nested and generally be single line expressions. eslint:
no-nested-ternary
// bad const foo = maybe1 > maybe2 ? "bar" : value1 > value2 ? "baz" : null; // split into 2 separated ternary expressions const maybeNull = value1 > value2 ? 'baz' : null; // better const foo = maybe1 > maybe2 ? 'bar' : maybeNull; // best const foo = maybe1 > maybe2 ? 'bar' : maybeNull;
-
12.4 Avoid unneeded ternary statements. eslint:
no-unneeded-ternary
// bad const foo = a ? a : b; const bar = c ? true : false; const baz = c ? false : true; // good const foo = a || b; const bar = !!c; const baz = !c;
-
12.5 When mixing operators, enclose them in parentheses. The only exception is the standard arithmetic operators:
+
,-
, and**
since their precedence is broadly understood. We recommend enclosing/
and*
in parentheses because their precedence can be ambiguous when they are mixed. eslint:no-mixed-operators
Why? This improves readability and clarifies the developer’s intention.
// bad const foo = a && b < 0 || c > 0 || d + 1 === 0; // bad const bar = a ** b - 5 % d; // bad // one may be confused into thinking (a || b) && c if (a || b && c) { return d; } // bad const bar = a + b / c * d; // good const foo = (a && b < 0) || c > 0 || (d + 1 === 0); // good const bar = a ** b - (5 % d); // good if (a || (b && c)) { return d; } // good const bar = a + (b / c) * d;
-
13.1 If you’re using multiline blocks with
if
andelse
, putelse
on the same line as yourif
block’s closing brace. eslint:brace-style
// bad if (test) { thing1(); thing2(); } else { thing3(); } // good if (test) { thing1(); thing2(); } else { thing3(); }
-
13.2 If an
if
block always executes areturn
statement, the subsequentelse
block is unnecessary. Areturn
in anelse if
block following anif
block that contains areturn
can be separated into multipleif
blocks. eslint:no-else-return
// bad function foo() { if (x) { return x; } else { return y; } } // bad function cats() { if (x) { return x; } else if (y) { return y; } } // bad function dogs() { if (x) { return x; } else { if (y) { return y; } } } // good function foo() { if (x) { return x; } return y; } // good function cats() { if (x) { return x; } if (y) { return y; } } // good function dogs(x) { if (x) { if (z) { return y; } } else { return z; } }
-
14.1 In case your control statement (
if
,while
etc.) gets too long or exceeds the maximum line length, each (grouped) condition could be put into a new line. The logical operator should begin the line.Why? Requiring operators at the beginning of the line keeps the operators aligned and follows a pattern similar to method chaining. This also improves readability by making it easier to visually follow complex logic.
// bad if ((foo === 123 || bar === 'abc') && doesItLookGoodWhenItBecomesThatLong() && isThisReallyHappening()) { thing1(); } // bad if (foo === 123 && bar === 'abc') { thing1(); } // bad if (foo === 123 && bar === 'abc') { thing1(); } // bad if ( foo === 123 && bar === 'abc' ) { thing1(); } // good if ( foo === 123 && bar === 'abc' ) { thing1(); } // good if ( (foo === 123 || bar === 'abc') && doesItLookGoodWhenItBecomesThatLong() && isThisReallyHappening() ) { thing1(); } // good if (foo === 123 && bar === 'abc') { thing1(); }
-
14.2 Don't use selection operators in place of control statements.
// bad !isRunning && startRunning(); // good if (!isRunning) { startRunning(); }
-
15.1 Use
/** ... */
for multiline comments.// bad // make() returns a new element // based on the passed in tag name // // @param {String} tag // @return {Element} element function make(tag) { // ... return element; } // good /** * make() returns a new element * based on the passed-in tag name */ function make(tag) { // ... return element; }
-
15.2 Use
//
for single line comments. Place single line comments on a newline above the subject of the comment. Put an empty line before the comment unless it’s on the first line of a block.// bad const active = true; // is current tab // good // is current tab const active = true; // bad function getType() { console.log('fetching type...'); // set the default type to 'no type' const type = this.type || 'no type'; return type; } // good function getType() { console.log('fetching type...'); // set the default type to 'no type' const type = this.type || 'no type'; return type; } // also good function getType() { // set the default type to 'no type' const type = this.type || 'no type'; return type; }
-
15.3 Start all comments with a space to make it easier to read. eslint:
spaced-comment
// bad //is current tab const active = true; // good // is current tab const active = true; // bad /** *make() returns a new element *based on the passed-in tag name */ function make(tag) { // ... return element; } // good /** * make() returns a new element * based on the passed-in tag name */ function make(tag) { // ... return element; }
- 15.4 Prefixing your comments with
FIXME
orTODO
helps other developers quickly understand if you’re pointing out a problem that needs to be revisited, or if you’re suggesting a solution to the problem that needs to be implemented. These are different than regular comments because they are actionable. The actions areFIXME: -- need to figure this out
orTODO: -- need to implement
.
-
15.5 Use
// FIXME:
to annotate problems.class Calculator extends Abacus { constructor() { super(); // FIXME: shouldn’t use a global here total = 0; } }
-
15.6 Use
// TODO:
to annotate solutions to problems.class Calculator extends Abacus { constructor() { super(); // TODO: total should be configurable by an options param this.total = 0; } }
-
16.1 Use soft tabs (space character) set to 4 spaces. eslint:
indent
// bad function foo() { ∙∙let name; } // bad function bar() { ∙let name; } // good function baz() { ∙∙∙∙let name; }
-
16.2 Place 1 space before the leading brace. eslint:
space-before-blocks
// bad function test(){ console.log('test'); } // good function test() { console.log('test'); } // bad dog.set('attr',{ age: '1 year', breed: 'Bernese Mountain Dog', }); // good dog.set('attr', { age: '1 year', breed: 'Bernese Mountain Dog', });
-
16.3 Place 1 space before the opening parenthesis in control statements (
if
,while
etc.). Place no space between the argument list and the function name in function calls and declarations. eslint:keyword-spacing
// bad if(isJedi) { fight (); } // good if (isJedi) { fight(); } // bad function fight () { console.log ('Swooosh!'); } // good function fight() { console.log('Swooosh!'); }
-
16.4 Set off operators with spaces. eslint:
space-infix-ops
// bad const x=y+5; // good const x = y + 5;
-
16.5 End files with a single newline character. eslint:
eol-last
// bad import { es6 } from './AirbnbStyleGuide'; // ... export default es6;
// bad import { es6 } from './AirbnbStyleGuide'; // ... export default es6;↵ ↵
// good import { es6 } from './AirbnbStyleGuide'; // ... export default es6;↵
-
16.6 Use indentation when making long method chains (more than 2 method chains). Use a leading dot, which emphasizes that the line is a method call, not a new statement. eslint:
newline-per-chained-call
no-whitespace-before-property
// bad $('#items').find('.selected').highlight().end().find('.open').updateCount(); // bad $('#items'). find('.selected'). highlight(). end(). find('.open'). updateCount(); // good $('#items') .find('.selected') .highlight() .end() .find('.open') .updateCount(); // bad const leds = stage.selectAll('.led').data(data).enter().append('svg:svg').classed('led', true) .attr('width', (radius + margin) * 2).append('svg:g') .attr('transform', `translate(${radius + margin},${radius + margin})`) .call(tron.led); // good const leds = stage.selectAll('.led') .data(data) .enter().append('svg:svg') .classed('led', true) .attr('width', (radius + margin) * 2) .append('svg:g') .attr('transform', `translate(${radius + margin},${radius + margin})`) .call(tron.led); // good const leds = stage.selectAll('.led').data(data);
-
16.7 Leave a blank line after blocks and before the next statement.
// bad if (foo) { return bar; } return baz; // good if (foo) { return bar; } return baz; // bad const obj = { foo() { }, bar() { }, }; return obj; // good const obj = { foo() { }, bar() { }, }; return obj; // bad const arr = [ function foo() { }, function bar() { }, ]; return arr; // good const arr = [ function foo() { }, function bar() { }, ]; return arr;
-
16.8 Do not pad your blocks with blank lines. eslint:
padded-blocks
// bad function bar() { console.log(foo); } // bad if (baz) { console.log(qux); } else { console.log(foo); } // bad class Foo { constructor(bar) { this.bar = bar; } } // good function bar() { console.log(foo); } // good if (baz) { console.log(qux); } else { console.log(foo); }
-
16.9 Do not use multiple blank lines to pad your code. eslint:
no-multiple-empty-lines
// bad class Person { constructor(fullName, email, birthday) { this.fullName = fullName; this.email = email; this.setAge(birthday); } setAge(birthday) { const today = new Date(); const age = this.getAge(today, birthday); this.age = age; } getAge(today, birthday) { // .. } } // good class Person { constructor(fullName, email, birthday) { this.fullName = fullName; this.email = email; this.setAge(birthday); } setAge(birthday) { const today = new Date(); const age = getAge(today, birthday); this.age = age; } getAge(today, birthday) { // .. } }
-
16.10 Do not add spaces inside parentheses. eslint:
space-in-parens
// bad function bar( foo ) { return foo; } // good function bar(foo) { return foo; } // bad if ( foo ) { console.log(foo); } // good if (foo) { console.log(foo); }
-
16.11 Do not add spaces inside brackets. eslint:
array-bracket-spacing
// bad const foo = [ 1, 2, 3 ]; console.log(foo[ 0 ]); // good const foo = [1, 2, 3]; console.log(foo[0]);
-
16.12 Add spaces inside curly braces. eslint:
object-curly-spacing
// bad const foo = {clark: 'kent'}; // good const foo = { clark: 'kent' };
-
16.13 Avoid having lines of code that are longer than 100 characters (including whitespace). Note: per above, long strings are exempt from this rule, and should not be broken up. eslint:
max-len
Why? This ensures readability and maintainability.
// bad const foo = jsonData && jsonData.foo && jsonData.foo.bar && jsonData.foo.bar.baz && jsonData.foo.bar.baz.quux && jsonData.foo.bar.baz.quux.xyzzy; // bad $.ajax({ method: 'POST', url: 'https://airbnb.com/', data: { name: 'John' } }).done(() => console.log('Congratulations!')).fail(() => console.log('You have failed this city.')); // good const foo = jsonData && jsonData.foo && jsonData.foo.bar && jsonData.foo.bar.baz && jsonData.foo.bar.baz.quux && jsonData.foo.bar.baz.quux.xyzzy; // good $.ajax({ method: 'POST', url: 'https://airbnb.com/', data: { name: 'John' }, }) .done(() => console.log('Congratulations!')) .fail(() => console.log('You have failed this city.'));
-
16.14 Require consistent spacing inside an open block token and the next token on the same line. This rule also enforces consistent spacing inside a close block token and previous token on the same line. eslint:
block-spacing
// bad function foo() {return true;} if (foo) { bar = 0;} // good function foo() { return true; } if (foo) { bar = 0; }
-
16.15 Avoid spaces before commas and require a space after commas. eslint:
comma-spacing
// bad var foo = 1,bar = 2; var arr = [1 , 2]; // good var foo = 1, bar = 2; var arr = [1, 2];
-
16.16 Enforce spacing inside of computed property brackets. eslint:
computed-property-spacing
// bad obj[foo ] obj[ 'foo'] var x = {[ b ]: a} obj[foo[ bar ]] // good obj[foo] obj['foo'] var x = { [b]: a } obj[foo[bar]]
-
16.17 Avoid spaces between functions and their invocations. eslint:
func-call-spacing
// bad func (); func (); // good func();
-
16.18 Enforce spacing between keys and values in object literal properties. eslint:
key-spacing
// bad var obj = { "foo" : 42 }; var obj2 = { "foo":42 }; // good var obj = { "foo": 42 };
- 16.19 Avoid trailing spaces at the end of lines. eslint:
no-trailing-spaces
-
16.20 Avoid multiple empty lines, only allow one newline at the end of files, and avoid a newline at the beginning of files. eslint:
no-multiple-empty-lines
// bad - multiple empty lines var x = 1; var y = 2; // bad - 2+ newlines at end of file var x = 1; var y = 2; // bad - 1+ newline(s) at beginning of file var x = 1; var y = 2; // good var x = 1; var y = 2;
-
17.1 Leading commas: Nope. eslint:
comma-style
// bad const story = [ once , upon , aTime ]; // good const story = [ once, upon, aTime, ]; // bad const hero = { firstName: 'Ada' , lastName: 'Lovelace' , birthYear: 1815 , superPower: 'computers' }; // good const hero = { firstName: 'Ada', lastName: 'Lovelace', birthYear: 1815, superPower: 'computers', };
-
17.2 Additional trailing comma: Yup. eslint:
comma-dangle
Why? This leads to cleaner git diffs. Also, transpilers like Babel will remove the additional trailing comma in the transpiled code which means you don’t have to worry about the trailing comma problem in legacy browsers.
// bad - git diff without trailing comma const hero = { firstName: 'Florence', - lastName: 'Nightingale' + lastName: 'Nightingale', + inventorOf: ['coxcomb chart', 'modern nursing'] }; // good - git diff with trailing comma const hero = { firstName: 'Florence', lastName: 'Nightingale', + inventorOf: ['coxcomb chart', 'modern nursing'], };
// bad const hero = { firstName: 'Dana', lastName: 'Scully' }; const heroes = [ 'Batman', 'Superman' ]; // good const hero = { firstName: 'Dana', lastName: 'Scully', }; const heroes = [ 'Batman', 'Superman', ]; // bad function createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf ) { // does nothing } // good function createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf, ) { // does nothing } // good (note that a comma must not appear after a "rest" element) function createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf, ...heroArgs ) { // does nothing } // bad createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf ); // good createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf, ); // good (note that a comma must not appear after a "rest" element) createHero( firstName, lastName, inventorOf, ...heroArgs );
-
Why? When JavaScript encounters a line break without a semicolon, it uses a set of rules called Automatic Semicolon Insertion to determine whether or not it should regard that line break as the end of a statement, and (as the name implies) place a semicolon into your code before the line break if it thinks so. ASI contains a few eccentric behaviors, though, and your code will break if JavaScript misinterprets your line break. These rules will become more complicated as new features become a part of JavaScript. Explicitly terminating your statements and configuring your linter to catch missing semicolons will help prevent you from encountering issues.
// bad - raises exception const luke = {} const leia = {} [luke, leia].forEach((jedi) => jedi.father = 'vader') // bad - raises exception const reaction = "No! That’s impossible!" (async function meanwhileOnTheFalcon() { // handle `leia`, `lando`, `chewie`, `r2`, `c3p0` // ... }()) // bad - returns `undefined` instead of the value on the next line - always happens when `return` is on a line by itself because of ASI! function foo() { return 'search your feelings, you know it to be foo' } // good const luke = {}; const leia = {}; [luke, leia].forEach((jedi) => { jedi.father = 'vader'; }); // good const reaction = "No! That’s impossible!"; (async function meanwhileOnTheFalcon() { // handle `leia`, `lando`, `chewie`, `r2`, `c3p0` // ... }()); // good function foo() { return 'search your feelings, you know it to be foo'; }
- 19.1 Perform type coercion at the beginning of the statement.
-
19.2 Numbers: Use
Number
for type casting andparseInt
always with a radix for parsing strings. eslint:radix
const inputValue = '4'; // bad const val = parseInt(inputValue); // bad const val = Number(inputValue); // good const val = +inputValue; // good const val = parseInt(inputValue, 10);
-
20.1 Avoid single letter names. Be descriptive with your naming. eslint:
id-length
// bad function q() { // ... } // good function query() { // ... }
-
20.2 Use PascalCase only when naming constructors or classes. eslint:
new-cap
// bad function user(options) { this.name = options.name; } const bad = new user({ name: 'nope', }); // good class User { constructor(options) { this.name = options.name; } } const good = new User({ name: 'yup', });
-
20.3 Don’t save references to
this
. Use arrow functions or Function#bind.// bad function foo() { const self = this; return function () { console.log(self); }; } // bad function foo() { const that = this; return function () { console.log(that); }; } // good function foo() { return () => { console.log(this); }; }
-
20.4 A base filename should exactly match the name of its default export.
// file 1 contents class CheckBox { // ... } export default CheckBox; // file 2 contents export default function fortyTwo() { return 42; } // file 3 contents export default function insideDirectory() {} // in some other file // bad import CheckBox from './checkBox'; // PascalCase import/export, camelCase filename import FortyTwo from './FortyTwo'; // PascalCase import/filename, camelCase export import InsideDirectory from './InsideDirectory'; // PascalCase import/filename, camelCase export // bad import CheckBox from './check_box'; // PascalCase import/export, snake_case filename import forty_two from './forty_two'; // snake_case import/filename, camelCase export import inside_directory from './inside_directory'; // snake_case import, camelCase export import index from './inside_directory/index'; // requiring the index file explicitly import insideDirectory from './insideDirectory/index'; // requiring the index file explicitly // good import CheckBox from './CheckBox'; // PascalCase export/import/filename import fortyTwo from './fortyTwo'; // camelCase export/import/filename import insideDirectory from './insideDirectory'; // camelCase export/import/directory name/implicit "index" // ^ supports both insideDirectory.js and insideDirectory/index.js
-
20.5 Acronyms and initialisms should always be all uppercased, or all lowercased.
Why? Names are for readability, not to appease a computer algorithm.
// bad import SmsContainer from './containers/SmsContainer'; // bad const HttpRequests = [ // ... ]; // good import SMSContainer from './containers/SMSContainer'; // good const HTTPRequests = [ // ... ]; // also good const httpRequests = [ // ... ]; // best import TextMessageContainer from './containers/TextMessageContainer'; // best const requests = [ // ... ];
- 21.1 Accessor functions for properties are not required.
-
21.2 Do not use JavaScript getters/setters as they cause unexpected side effects and are harder to test, maintain, and reason about. Instead, if you do make accessor functions, use
getVal()
andsetVal('hello')
.// bad class Dragon { get age() { // ... } set age(value) { // ... } } // good class Dragon { getAge() { // ... } setAge(value) { // ... } }
-
21.3 If the property/method is a
boolean
, useisVal()
orhasVal()
.// bad if (!dragon.age()) { return false; } // good if (!dragon.hasAge()) { return false; }
-
21.4 It’s okay to create
get()
andset()
functions, but be consistent.class Jedi { constructor(options = {}) { const lightsaber = options.lightsaber || 'blue'; this.set('lightsaber', lightsaber); } set(key, val) { this[key] = val; } get(key) { return this[key]; } }
-
22.1 When attaching data payloads to events (whether DOM events or something more proprietary like Backbone events), pass an object literal (also known as a "hash") instead of a raw value. This allows a subsequent contributor to add more data to the event payload without finding and updating every handler for the event. For example, instead of:
// bad $(this).trigger('listingUpdated', listing.id); // ... $(this).on('listingUpdated', (e, listingID) => { // do something with listingID });
prefer:
// good $(this).trigger('listingUpdated', { listingID: listing.id }); // ... $(this).on('listingUpdated', (e, data) => { // do something with data.listingID });
-
23.1 Yup.
function foo() { return true; }
- 23.2 No, but seriously:
- Whichever testing framework you use, you should be writing tests!
- Strive to write many small pure functions, and minimize where mutations occur.
- Be cautious about stubs and mocks - they can make your tests more brittle.
- We primarily use
mocha
at our company. - 100% test coverage is a good goal to strive for, even if it’s not always practical to reach it.
- Whenever you fix a bug, write a regression test. A bug fixed without a regression test is almost certainly going to break again in the future.
- On Layout & Web Performance
- String vs Array Concat
- Try/Catch Cost In a Loop
- innerHTML vs textContent for script text
- Long String Concatenation
- Loading...
(The MIT License)
Copyright (c) 2012 Airbnb
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the 'Software'), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED 'AS IS', WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON INFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
We encourage you to fork this guide and change the rules to fit your team’s style guide. Below, you may list some amendments to the style guide. This allows you to periodically update your style guide without having to deal with merge conflicts.