So far, we have explored the meaning of clean code from several different perspectives. We've explored how the code we write allows our users to wield remarkable complexity by leveraging abstractions. We've gone on to discuss the tenets of clean code, such as reliability and usability, and the various traps and challenges to watch out for when pursuing these goals.
In this chapter, we'll be exploring the JavaScript language itself, in great detail, including both the more common language constructs and the more obscure and confusing aspects. We'll be applying our accrued wealth of knowledge about clean code to all these parts of the language and will build an understanding of JavaScript that's tailored purely to the creation of clean code.
We'll begin by looking at the most atomic part of JavaScript: the primitive values that serve as the building blocks for any program. Then, we'll move on to non-primitive values, known as objects. In our exploration of these types, we will, through examples, be exposing the semantics that make each type unique and the pitfalls to avoid in their usage. The crucial knowledge that we'll gain in this chapter will be applied in later chapters as we build up a truly complete knowledge of what it means to write clean code in JavaScript.
By the end of this chapter, you should feel comfortable in the following topic areas:
- Primitive types
- Objects
- Functions
- Arrays and iterables
- Regular expressions