What is the purpose of a self executing function in javascript?

Question

In javascript, when would you want to use this:

(function(){
    //Bunch of code...
})();

over this:

//Bunch of code...
         


        

Answer 1

Self-invocation (also known as auto-invocation) is when a function executes immediately upon its definition. This is a core pattern and serves as the foundation for many other patterns of JavaScript development.

I am a great fan :) of it because:

• It keeps code to a minimum
• It enforces separation of behavior from presentation
• It provides a closure which prevents naming conflicts

Enormously – (Why you should say its good?)

• It’s about defining and executing a function all at once.
• You could have that self-executing function return a value and pass the function as a param to another function.
• It’s good for encapsulation.
• It’s also good for block scoping.
• Yeah, you can enclose all your .js files in a self-executing function and can prevent global namespace pollution. ;)

More here.