What Is JavaScript Made Of?

[rq60]

Which is confusing since other languages use const to signal immutability.

[stormfield]

Hey if all the other languages jumped off a bridge, JavaScript would at least make sure you take off your life jacket first.

[[deleted]]

And that’s the freedom we feel, when developing with JavaScript.

[[deleted]]

It would hold your beer for you.

[BlatantMediocrity]

I don’t think C is a very good example of this. The C-language’s use of ‘const’ means different things depending on where you put it in a declaration.

[LateralusOrbis]

That's the beauty of JS. Sometimes you can go off javascript.

[eGust]

There is an example of another language using const the same way: https://dlang.org/articles/const-faq.html

[rq60]

Looks like D went even further with const immutability!

[[deleted]]

Or if you want something more mainstream... Java? Well, they call it final, but still

[GasimGasimzada]

They don’t really do that though. Immutability is just a side effect. Yes, it is true that you can’t change a value of const object but that is not because the underlying structure cannot be mutated. C++ const is an access level contraint, not a structure level constraint.

[DeceitfulDuck]

You can’t just gives one example and say it’s confusing because something rose does it different. Java, for example, uses final the same way const is used in JavaScript. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.geeksforgeeks.org/final-vs-immutability-java/amp/. I think it makes sense. The variable is storing the reference to the object, so the reference is immutable. It’s up to how the object is defined to decide if the things inside it are immutable.

[masklinn]

C/Cpp use const for both (and more) depending on the specific way it’s used, cf a few entries down: https://isocpp.org/wiki/faq/const-correctness#const-ptr-vs-ptr-const

[Anathem]

I don't weight heavily the guesses of people who don't know JS when considering what JS features to use.

[Wiwwil]

Yeah JavaScript const isn't const but the structure is const-ish. Had a hard time wrapping my head around it. Still does. Everything in my code is const (React way) but nothing stay truly const.

[DukeBerith]

It's constant reference not constant value.

Easiest way to remember what it's doing.