ES6

Introduction

What is ES6?

ES6 stands for ECMAScript 6. It is a JavaScript standard intended to ensure a common language across different browsers. It is the 6th version of ECMAScript. ES6, officially known as ECMAScript 2015, is a significant update to the JavaScript programming language that was standardized in June 2015. It is the 6th edition of ECMAScript, a scripting language specification standardized by Ecma International in the ECMA-262 and ISO/IEC 16262 standards. The goal of ES6 is to provide a more robust, scalable, and easier-to-use language that ensures consistency across different web browsers, enhancing the experience for developers and end-users alike.

Why ES6? / Features of ES6 / Upgrades in ES6

React uses it and all of these new features will make your coding experience in react much much better. You will be able to do things with much more ease and in very less lines! Features like:

• Arrow Functions:

const hello = () => {
  return "Hello World!";
}

or

const hello = () => "Hello World!";

• map(): .map has various use cases, one of which involves generating any number of cards through a loop and directly incorporating them into JSX.

const data = ['title1', 'title2', 'title3'];
let cards = data.map((item) => <card>{item}</card>)

• Destructuring :

Old Way

const languages = ['JS', 'Python', 'Java'];
const js = languages[0]
const python = languages[1]
const java = languages[2]

New Way

const languages = ['JS', 'Python', 'Java'];
const [ js, python, java ] = languages

• Ternary Operator:

condition ? <expression if true> : <expression if false>

Example:

let loading = false;
const data = loading ? "worked" : "not worked"
// Output :- not worked

• Spread Operator:

const languages = ['JS', 'Python', 'Java'];
const morelanguages = ['C', 'C++', 'C#']

const allLanguages = [...languages, ...morelanguages]
//Output :- ["JS","Python","Java","C","C++","C#"]

ES6 Features in React

Arrow Functions

Arrow functions provide a concise syntax for writing function expressions. In React, developers commonly use them to define component methods, event handlers, and functional components.

Real-Life Example:

// ES5 Function
function greet(name) {
  return 'Hello, ' + name + '!';
}

// ES6 Arrow Function
const greet = (name) => `Hello, ${name}!`;

Template Literals

Template literals allow for embedding expressions inside strings using ${} syntax. They are handy for composing dynamic JSX content in React components.

Real-Life Example:

// ES5
var greeting = 'Hello, ' + name + '!';

// ES6
const greeting = `Hello, ${name}!`;

Destructuring Assignment

Destructuring assignment provides a convenient way to extract values from arrays or objects and assign them to variables. It’s commonly used to extract props and state in React components.

Real-Life Example:

// ES5
var user = { name: 'John', age: 30 };
var name = user.name;
var age = user.age;

// ES6
const { name, age } = user;

Class Syntax

ES6 introduced a class syntax for defining constructor functions and creating objects with a more familiar syntax. In React, class components are often defined using this syntax.

Real-Life Example:

// ES5 Constructor Function
function Person(name, age) {
  this.name = name;
  this.age = age;
}

// ES6 Class
class Person {
  constructor(name, age) {
    this.name = name;
    this.age = age;
  }
}

Import and Export

ES6 modules allow for organizing code into separate files and importing/exporting functionality between them. In React, modules are commonly used to structure components and utilities.

Real-Life Example:

// ES6 Import and Export
// utils.js
export const add = (a, b) => a + b;

// app.js
import { add } from './utils';

Conclusion

ES6, or ECMAScript 2015, represents a significant advancement in the JavaScript programming language, introducing a host of new features and syntax improvements that greatly enhance the developer experience. With its release in June 2015, ES6 aimed to create a more robust, scalable, and user-friendly language, ensuring consistency across different web browsers and making JavaScript development more efficient and enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions