JavaScript private methods

Question

To make a JavaScript class with a public method I'd do something like:

function Restaurant() {}

Restaurant.prototype.buy_food = function(){
   // something here
}

Restaurant.prototype.use_restroom = function(){
   // something here
}

That way users of my class can:

var restaurant = new Restaurant();
restaurant.buy_food();
restaurant.use_restroom();

How do I create a private method that can be called by the buy_food and use_restroom methods but not externally by users of the class?

In other words, I want my method implementation to be able to do:

Restaurant.prototype.use_restroom = function() {
   this.private_stuff();
}

But this shouldn't work:

var r = new Restaurant();
r.private_stuff();

How do I define private_stuff as a private method so both of these hold true?

I've read Doug Crockford's writeup a few times but it doesn't seem like "private" methods can be called by public methods and "privileged" methods can be called externally.

Answer 1

You have to put a closure around your actual constructor-function, where you can define your private methods. To change data of the instances through these private methods, you have to give them "this" with them, either as an function argument or by calling this function with .apply(this) :

var Restaurant = (function(){
    var private_buy_food = function(that){
        that.data.soldFood = true;
    }
    var private_take_a_shit = function(){
        this.data.isdirty = true;   
    }
    // New Closure
    function restaurant()
    {
        this.data = {
            isdirty : false,
            soldFood: false,
        };
    }

    restaurant.prototype.buy_food = function()
    {
       private_buy_food(this);
    }
    restaurant.prototype.use_restroom = function()
    {
       private_take_a_shit.call(this);
    }
    return restaurant;
})()

// TEST:

var McDonalds = new Restaurant();
McDonalds.buy_food();
McDonalds.use_restroom();
console.log(McDonalds);
console.log(McDonalds.__proto__);

Answer 2

In general I added the private Object _ temporarily to the object. You have to open the privacy exlipcitly in the "Power-constructor" for the method. If you call the method from the prototype, you will be able to overwrite the prototype-method

• Make a public method accessible in the "Power-constructor": (ctx is the object context)

  ctx.test = GD.Fabric.open('test', GD.Test.prototype, ctx, _); // is a private object
  

• Now I have this openPrivacy:

  GD.Fabric.openPrivacy = function(func, clss, ctx, _) {
      return function() {
          ctx._ = _;
          var res = clss[func].apply(ctx, arguments);
          ctx._ = null;
          return res;
      };
  };
  

Answer 3

The apotheosis of the Module Pattern: The Revealing Module Pattern

A neat little extension to a very robust pattern.

Answer 4

There are many answers on this question already, but nothing fitted my needs. So i came up with my own solution, I hope it is usefull for someone:

function calledPrivate(){
    var stack = new Error().stack.toString().split("\n");
    function getClass(line){
        var i = line.indexOf(" ");
        var i2 = line.indexOf(".");
        return line.substring(i,i2);
    }
    return getClass(stack[2])==getClass(stack[3]);
}

class Obj{
    privateMethode(){
        if(calledPrivate()){
            console.log("your code goes here");
        }
    }
    publicMethode(){
        this.privateMethode();
    }
}

var obj = new Obj();
obj.publicMethode(); //logs "your code goes here"
obj.privateMethode(); //does nothing

As you can see this system works when using this type of classes in javascript. As far as I figured out none of the methods commented above did.

Answer 5

I have created a new tool to allow you to have true private methods on the prototype https://github.com/TremayneChrist/ProtectJS

Example:

var MyObject = (function () {

  // Create the object
  function MyObject() {}

  // Add methods to the prototype
  MyObject.prototype = {

    // This is our public method
    public: function () {
      console.log('PUBLIC method has been called');
    },

    // This is our private method, using (_)
    _private: function () {
      console.log('PRIVATE method has been called');
    }
  }

  return protect(MyObject);

})();

// Create an instance of the object
var mo = new MyObject();

// Call its methods
mo.public(); // Pass
mo._private(); // Fail

Answer 6

Here's what i enjoyed the most so far regarding private/public methods/members and instantiation in javascript:

here is the article: http://www.sefol.com/?p=1090

and here is the example:

var Person = (function () {

    //Immediately returns an anonymous function which builds our modules 
    return function (name, location) {

        alert("createPerson called with " + name);

        var localPrivateVar = name;

        var localPublicVar = "A public variable";

        var localPublicFunction = function () {
            alert("PUBLIC Func called, private var is :" + localPrivateVar)
        };

        var localPrivateFunction = function () {
            alert("PRIVATE Func called ")
        };

        var setName = function (name) {

            localPrivateVar = name;

        }

        return {

            publicVar: localPublicVar,

            location: location,

            publicFunction: localPublicFunction,

            setName: setName

        }

    }
})();


//Request a Person instance - should print "createPerson called with ben"
var x = Person("ben", "germany");

//Request a Person instance - should print "createPerson called with candide"
var y = Person("candide", "belgium");

//Prints "ben"
x.publicFunction();

//Prints "candide"
y.publicFunction();

//Now call a public function which sets the value of a private variable in the x instance
x.setName("Ben 2");

//Shouldn't have changed this : prints "candide"
y.publicFunction();

//Should have changed this : prints "Ben 2"
x.publicFunction();

JSFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/northkildonan/kopj3dt3/1/