JavaScript: Constructor Auto-Execution with new Keyword
JavaScript is full of small, interesting facets that can trip you up, make you laugh, or make you cry. This post is about an interesting one. Those of you that have worked with JavaScript functions, and in a way JavaScript "classes" (as you used with MooTools), you're well acquainted with the new keyword. With the new keyword you get the ability to pass arguments with the function call, but did you know that if you have no arguments, you don't need the parens at all?
function MyClass() {
console.log('Initialized!');
//Set a property, as an example
this.dirty = true;
}
var instance = new MyClass;
// >> "Initialized!''
So why am I telling you this? I have no idea. It's just one of those fun tidbits that you can add to your brain. :)
![Detect DOM Node Insertions with JavaScript and CSS Animations]()
I work with an awesome cast of developers at Mozilla, and one of them in Daniel Buchner. Daniel's shared with me an awesome strategy for detecting when nodes have been injected into a parent node without using the deprecated DOM Events API.
![From Webcam to Animated GIF: the Secret Behind chat.meatspac.es!]()
My team mate Edna Piranha is not only an awesome hacker; she's also a fantastic philosopher! Communication and online interactions is a subject that has kept her mind busy for a long time, and it has also resulted in a bunch of interesting experimental projects...
![NSFW Blocker Using MooTools and CSS]()
One of my guilty pleasures is scoping out the latest celebrity gossip from PerezHilton.com, DListed.com, and JoBlo.com. Unfortunately, these sites occasionally post NSFW pictures which makes checking these sites on lunch a huge gamble -- a trip to HR's office could be just a click away.
Since...
![prefers-color-scheme: CSS Media Query]()
One device and app feature I've come to appreciate is the ability to change between light and dark modes. If you've ever done late night coding or reading, you know how amazing a dark theme can be for preventing eye strain and the headaches that result.
Amazing how the obvious is sometimes hidden in plain sight. I was going to save the extra () characters but it looks like there’s a micro performance hit in V8.
http://jsperf.com/new-with-and-without-parens
Really? That’s ironic, since Google Closure Compiler actually removes the parentheses when they can be omitted.
That was something I always was curious about but never bothered to ask/look up. I assume the same thing also occurs in php?
I’ll file this next to optional semi-colons and optional closing tags in HTML5: things that are interesting to know, but if I ever see while reviewing someone’s code I might get stabby.