Constructors in JavaScript objects

Question

Can JavaScript classes/objects have constructors? How are they created?

Answer 1

This pattern has served me well. With this pattern, you create classes in separate files, load them into your overall app "as needed".

// Namespace
// (Creating new if not instantiated yet, otherwise, use existing and just add to it)
var myApp = myApp || {};

// "Package" 
// Similar to how you would establish a package in other languages
(function() {

// "Class"
var MyClass = function(params) {
    this.initialize(params);
}

    // "Private Static" vars 
    //    - Only accessible to functions in this class.
    //    - Doesn't get wiped out when we create a new instance.
    var countInstances = 0;
    var allInstances = [];

    // "Private Static" functions 
    //    - Same as above, but it's a function accessible 
    //      only to other functions in this class.
    function doSomething(){
    }

    // "Public Static" vars
    //    - Everyone has access.
    //    - Doesn't get wiped out when we create a new instance.
    MyClass.counter = 0;

    // "Public Static" functions
    //    - Same as above, but anyone can call this "static method".
    //    - Kinda like a singleton class situation.
    MyClass.foobar = function(){
    }

    // Public properties and methods are built into the "prototype"
    //    - This is how each instance can become unique unto itself.
    //    - Establishing "p" as "local" (Static Private) variable 
    //      simply so we don't have to keep typing "MyClass.prototype" 
    //      for each property and function.
var p = MyClass.prototype;

    // "Public" vars
    p.id = null;
    p.firstname = null;
    p.lastname = null;

    // "Private" vars
    //    - Only used by "this" instance.
    //    - There isn't "true" privacy for each 
    //      instance so we have to fake it. 
    //    - By tradition, we indicate "privacy"  
    //      by prefixing it with an underscore. 
    //    - So technically, anyone can access, but we simply 
    //      don't tell anyone about it (e.g. in your API)
    //      so no one knows about it :)
    p._foo = null;

    p.initialize = function(params){
        this.id = MyClass.counter++;
        this.firstname = params.firstname;
        this.lastname = params.lastname;
        MyClass.counter++;
        countInstances++;
        allInstances.push(this);
    }

    p.doAlert = function(theMessage){
        alert(this.firstname + " " + this.lastname + " said: " + theMessage + ". My id:" + this.id + ".  Total People:" + countInstances + ". First Person:" + allInstances[0].firstname + " " + allInstances[0].lastname);
    }


// Assign class to app
myApp.MyClass = MyClass;

// Close the "Package"
}());

// Usage example:
var bob = new myApp.MyClass({   firstname   :   "bob",
                                lastname    :   "er"
                            });

bob.doAlert("hello there");