Object Instance Methods

A method is a function attached to an object as a property.

let stringUtils = {
  capitalize: function(word) {
    return word.charAt(0).toUpperCase() +
      word.slice(1).toLowerCase();
  },
  rant: function(opinion) {
    return opinion.toUpperCase() + '!!!';
  }
}

stringUtils.rant('i love pizza') // => 'I LOVE PIZZA!!!'

Methods Can Access Object State

this is a magic word that means "this object I'm in right now"

let rectangle = {
    height: 10,
    width: 8,
    area: function() {
        return this.height * this.width;
    }
}

rectangle.height   //=> 10
rectangle.area()   //=> 80

Extending objects on the fly

Since JavaScript is a dynamic language, you can add methods to any object.

let rectangle = {
    height: 10,
    width: 8,
}

rectangle.area()   //=> TypeError: rectangle.area is not a function

rectangle.area = function() {
     return this.height * this.width;
}

rectangle.area()   //=> 80

• remember, this means "this object I'm in right now" which in this case is the rectangle
• this.height on the inside of the object means the same as rectangle.height on the outside

Lab: Speak

Using the following definition:

let dog = {
    name: 'Abby',
    paws: 4
}

Please add a method to dog called speak so the following code:

console.log(dog.speak())

prints the following line:

My name is Abby and I have 4 paws!

Speak solution

let dog = {
    name: 'Abby',
    paws: 4
}

dog.speak = function() {
  return "My name is " + this.name + " and I have " + this.paws + "paws"
}