OOP or Not?

[Poop_Shoot]

I have heard alot of people call JavaScript an Object Oreinted Language! And others say not? Yet alot of times when I write a function it seems almost procedural in nature?

[Cam]

It is procedural code, but an object-based language. Take this code for example

var oTextarea;

function alertTextarea ( ) {
    oTextarea = document.getElementById('textarea');
    alert(oTextarea.Value);
}

What do you think oTextarea, document, the return value from getElementById() are? Objects

[blufive]

From what I've seen, it's sort of a hybrid.

You can define and manipulate objects, but it's usually used in a procedural way. I've no idea whether it's possible to define methods on an object, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was. And if you can do that, then it's capable of full OO, even if that capability is rarely used.

[Jeff Lange]

you can define methods using the following:

object.method = function(var1, var2)
{
	alert(var1 + var2);
};
object.method(1, 6);

[Poop_Shoot]

Yes Yes But how can it be both Object and Procedural Based?

[Jeff Lange]

The same way PHP can. You can write OOP and Procedural code with it, however in Javascript, everything is based on behind-the-scenes objects, even when working with procedural code.

[vgarcia]

What Jeff said. At worst, Javascript is an object-based procedural language, similar to Visual Basic in nature. At best, it's object-oriented. Like PHP though, it's up to you which way you want to go with it.

[MikeFoster]

Everyone is correct, but I know that sounds contradictory

Excerpts from the Netscape Javascript Guide:

"JavaScript is an object-based language based on prototypes, rather than being class-based."

"Class-based object-oriented languages, such as Java and C++, are founded on the concept of two distinct entities: classes and instances.

...

A prototype-based language, such as JavaScript, does not make this distinction: it simply has objects. A prototype-based language has the notion of a prototypical object, an object used as a template from which to get the initial properties for a new object. Any object can specify its own properties, either when you create it or at run time. In addition, any object can be associated as the prototype for another object, allowing the second object to share the first object's properties."

[Jeff Lange]

Good excerpts there, Mike

[MikeFoster]

Thanks, Jeff. The Netscape Javascript Reference and Guide are my best buddies

[Jeff Lange]

I've got my full Javascript for Netscape 3.0 book, lol.

[vgarcia]

I've got my full Javascript for Netscape 3.0 book, lol.

Good fodder for the fireplace in the winter?

[MikeFoster]

[Poop_Shoot]

I should burn my JS bible I learn more from forums!