Function expression types in javascript

Abhijeet kumar
3 min readJun 12, 2023

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In JavaScript programing language , functions are blocks of code that can be defined and executed to perform a specific task. They allow you to encapsulate logic, organize code into reusable units, and facilitate code reusability and maintainability. Functions can have parameters (optional) to accept input values and can return a value (also optional) as the result of their execution.

so now let's discuss various type of function expression

  1. Function Declarations: Function declarations are the most common way to define functions in JavaScript. They start with the function keyword, followed by the function name, a list of parameters (optional), and the function body enclosed in curly braces. Here's an example:
function greet(name) {
console.log('Hello, ' + name + '!');
}

greet('Abhi'); // Output: Hello, Abhi!

In this example, we define a function called greet that takes one parameter name. When the function is invoked with greet('Abhi'), it logs the greeting to the console.

2. Function Expressions: Function expressions involve assigning a function to a variable. They can be either named or anonymous. Here’s an example of a named function expression:

const greet = function(name) {
console.log('Hello, ' + name + '!');
};

greet('Abhi'); // Output: Hello, Abhi!

In this example, we assign an anonymous function to the variable greet. The function takes one parameter name and logs the greeting. Function expressions are useful when you want to assign a function to a variable or pass it as an argument to another function.

3. Arrow Functions: Arrow functions provide a concise syntax for writing functions. They use the arrow (=>) notation and are anonymous by default. Arrow functions are particularly useful for shorter functions or when you want to preserve the lexical this binding. Here's an example:

const greet = (name) => {
console.log('Hello, ' + name + '!');
};

greet('Abhi'); // Output: Hello, Abhi!

In this example, we define an arrow function called greet that takes one parameter name and logs the greeting. The arrow function syntax reduces the amount of code required compared to traditional function declarations or expressions.

4. Immediately Invoked Function Expressions (IIFE): An Immediately Invoked Function Expression is a function that is executed immediately after it is defined. It is wrapped in parentheses to turn it into an expression and followed by another pair of parentheses to invoke it. IIFEs are commonly used to create a new scope and avoid polluting the global namespace. Here’s an example:

(function() {
console.log('This is an IIFE!');
})();

// Output: This is an IIFE!

In this example, we define an anonymous function inside parentheses and immediately invoke it by adding another pair of parentheses at the end. The function body logs a message to the console.

5. Generator Functions: Generator functions are a special type of function that can be paused and resumed during execution. They use the function* syntax and the yield keyword to control the flow of execution. Generator functions return an iterator object that can be iterated over using a loop.

function* countToFive() {
yield 1;
yield 2;
yield 3;
yield 4;
yield 5;
}

const iterator = countToFive();

console.log(iterator.next().value); // Output: 1
console.log(iterator.next().value); // Output: 2
console.log(iterator.next().value); // Output: 3
console.log(iterator.next().value); // Output: 4
console.log(iterator.next().value); // Output: 5

Conclusion : These are the various types of function declarations in JavaScript, each with its own syntax and benefits. Understanding these different ways of declaring functions allows you to choose the most appropriate one for your specific use case .

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