All you need to know about Functions in JavaScript

Himanshu Sharma

11 min readJan 14, 2024

What is a Function?

Many times, we face a situation where we need to perform similar action in many places of the script.

Functions are the main “building blocks” of the program. They allow the code to be called many times without repition.

Function Declaration

To create a function we can use a function declaration. It looks like this :

function sayHello(){
  alert('Hello everyone!');
}

The function keyword goes first, then goes the name of the function, then a list of parameters ( comma-separated, empty in example above, we’ll see examples later) and finally the code of the function, also named “the function body”, between curly braces.

function name(parameter1, parameter2, ...parameterN){
  // body
}

Our new function can be called by its name: sayHello().

function sayHello(){
  alert('Hello everyone!');
}

sayHello()
sayHello()

The call sayHello() executes the code of the function. Here we will see the message two times. The example clearly demonstrates one of the main purposes of functions: to avoid code duplication.

If we ever need to change the message or the way it is shown, it’s enough to modify the code in one place: the function which outputs it.

Local Variables

A variable declared inside a function is only visible inside that function. For example :

function sayHello(){
  let message = "Hello, I'm JavaScript!"; // local variable
  alert(message);
}

sayHello(); // Hello, I'm JavaScript
alert(message); // <-- Error! The variable is local to the function

Outer Variables

A function can access an outer variable. It can modify it as well. For instance :

let userName = 'Himanshu'

function sayHello(){
  userName = 'Kartikey'; // changed the outer variable
  
  let message = 'Hello, ' + userName;
  alert(message); 
}

alert(userName); // Himanshu before the function call

sayHello();

alert(userName); // Kartikey, the value was modified by the function

The outer variable is only used if there’s no local one.

If a same-named variable is declared inside the function then it shadows the outer one. For instance, in the code below the function uses the local userName . The outer one is ignored :

let userName = 'Himanshu';

function sayHello() {
  let userName = "Kartikey"; // declare a local variable

  let message = 'Hello, ' + userName; // Kartikey
  alert(message);
}

// the function will create and use its own userName
sayHello();

alert( userName ); // Himanshu, unchanged, the function did not access the outer variable

Global Variables
Variables declared outside of any function, such as the outer userName in the code above, are called global.
Global variables are visible from any function (unless shadowed by locals).
It’s a good practice to minimize the use of global variables. Modern code has few or no globals. Most variables reside in their functions. Sometimes though, they can be useful to store project-level data.

Parameters

We can pass arbitrary data to functions using parameters. In the example below, the function has two parameters: from and text.

function sayHello(from, text) { // parameters: from, text
  alert(from + ': ' + text);
}

sayHello('Himanshu', 'Hello!'); // Himanshu: Hello! (*)
sayHello('Himanshu', "What's up?"); // Himanshu: What's up? (**)

When the function is called in lines (*) and (**), the given values are copied to local variables from and text. Then the function uses them.

Here’s one more example: we have a variable from and pass it to the function. Please note: the function changes from, but the change is not seen outside, because a function always gets a copy of the value.

function sayHello(from, text) {

  from = '*' + from + '*'; // make "from" look nicer

  alert( from + ': ' + text );
}

let from = "Himanshu";

sayHello(from, "Hello"); // *Himanshu*: Hello

// the value of "from" is the same, the function modified a local copy
alert( from ); // Himanshu

When a values is passed as a function parameter, it’s also called an argument.

In other words, to put these terms straight:

A parameter is the variable listed inside the parentheses in the function declaration (it’s a declaration time term).
An argument is the value that is passed to the function when it is called (it’s a call time term).

In the example above, one might say: “the function sayHello is declared with two parameters, then called with two arguments: from and ‘Hello’ ”.

Default Values

If a function is called, but an argument is not provided, then the corresponding values becomes undefined. For instance, the aforementioned function sayHello(from, text) can be called with a single argument:

sayHello("Himanshu")

That’s not an error. Such a call would output “*Himanshu*: undefined”. As the value for text isn’t passed, it becomes undefined.

We can specify the so-called “default” (to use if omitted) value for a parameter in the function decalaration, using = :

function sayHello(from, text = "no text given") {
  alert( from + ": " + text );
}

sayHello("Himanshu"); // Himanshu: no text given

Now, if the text parameter is not passed, it will get the value “no text given”. The default value also jumps in if the parameter exists, but strictly equals undefined, like this:

sayHello("Himanshu", undefined); // Himanshu: no text given

Here “no text given” is a string, but it can be a more complex expression, which is only evaluated and assigned if the parameter is missing. So, this is also possible:

function sayHello(from, text = anotherFunction()) {
  // anotherFunction() only executed if no text given
  // its result becomes the value of text
}

ℹ️ Evaluation of default parameters
In JavaScript, a default parameter is evaluated every time the function is called without the respective parameter. In the example above, anotherFunction() isn’t called at all, if the text parameter is provided. On the other hand, it’s independently called every time when text is missing.
ℹ️ Default Parameters In Old JavaScript Code
Several years ago, JavaScript didn’t support the syntax for default parameters. So people used other ways to specify them.
Nowadays, we can come across them in old scripts. For example, an explicit check for undefined:
function sayHello(from, text){
if(text === undefined){
text = 'no text given';
}
alert(from + ': ' + text);
}
Or using the || operator:
function sayHello(from, text){
// If the value of text is falsy, assign the default value
// this assumes the text == "" is the same as no text at all
text = text || "no text given";
}

Alternative default parameters

Sometimes it makes sense to assign default values for parameters at a later stage after the function declaration. We can check if the parameter is passed during the function execution, by comparing it with undefined:

function sayHello(text){
  // ...
  if(text === undefined){ // if the parameter is missing
    text = 'empty message';
  }
  alert(text);
}

sayHello(); // empty message

Or we could use the || operator :

function sayHello(){
  // if text is undefined or otherwise falsy, set it to 'empty'
  text = text || 'undefined';
  ...
}

Modern Javascript engines support the nullish coalescing operator ?? , it’s better when most falsy values, such as 0, should be considered “normal” :

function showCount(count){
  // if count is undefined or null, show "unknown"
  alert(count ?? "unknown");
}

showCount(0); //0
showCount(null); // unknown
showCount(); // unknown

Returning a Value

A function can return a value back into the calling code as the result. The simplest example would be a function that sums two values:

function sum(a, b){
  return a + b;
}

let result = sum(1, 2);
alert( result ); // 3

The directive return can be in any place of the function. When the execution reaches it, the function stops, and the value is returned to the calling code ( assigned to result above ).

There may be many occurences of return in a single function. For instance :

function checkAge(age) {
  if (age >= 18) {
    return true;
  } else {
    return confirm('Do you have permission from your parents?');
  }
}

let age = prompt('How old are you?', 18);

if ( checkAge(age) ) {
  alert( 'Access granted' );
} else {
  alert( 'Access denied' );
}

It is possible to use return without a value. That causes the function to exit immediately.

For example:

function showMovie(age) {
  if ( !checkAge(age) ) {
    return;
  }

  alert( "Showing you the movie" ); // (*)
  // ...
}

In the code above, if checkAge(age) returns false, then showMovie won’t proceed to the alert.

ℹ️ A function with an empty return or without it returns undefined

If a function does not return a value, it is the same as if it returns undefined:

function doNothing() { /* empty */ }

alert( doNothing() === undefined ); // true

An empty return is also the same as return undefined:

function doNothing() {
  return;
}

alert( doNothing() === undefined ); // true

⚠️ Never add a newline between return and the value

For a long expression in return, it might be tempting to put it on a separate line, like this:

return
 (some + long + expression + or + whatever * f(a) + f(b))

That doesn’t work, because JavaScript assumes a semicolon after return. That’ll work the same as:

return;
 (some + long + expression + or + whatever * f(a) + f(b))

So, it effectively becomes an empty return.

If we want the returned expression to wrap across multiple lines, we should start it at the same line as return. Or at least put the opening parentheses there as follows:

return (
  some + long + expression
  + or +
  whatever * f(a) + f(b)
  )

And it will work just as we expect it to.

Naming a function

Functions are actions. So their name is usually a verb. It should be brief, as accurate as possible and describe what the function does, so that someone reading the code gets an indication of what the function does.

It is a widespread practice to start a function with a verbal prefix which vaguely describes the action. There must be an agreement within the team on the meaning of the prefixes.

For instance, functions that start with "show" usually show something.

Function starting with…

"get…" – return a value,
"calc…" – calculate something,
"create…" – create something,
"check…" – check something and return a boolean, etc.

Examples of such names:

showMessage(..)     // shows a message
getAge(..)          // returns the age (gets it somehow)
calcSum(..)         // calculates a sum and returns the result
createForm(..)      // creates a form (and usually returns it)
checkPermission(..) // checks a permission, returns true/false

With prefixes in place, a glance at a function name gives an understanding what kind of work it does and what kind of value it returns.

ℹ️ One function — one action
A function should do exactly what is suggested by its name, no more.
Two independent actions usually deserve two functions, even if they are usually called together (in that case we can make a 3rd function that calls those two).
A few examples of breaking this rule:
getAge – would be bad if it shows an alert with the age (should only get).
createForm – would be bad if it modifies the document, adding a form to it (should only create it and return).
checkPermission – would be bad if it displays the access granted/denied message (should only perform the check and return the result).
These examples assume common meanings of prefixes. You and your team are free to agree on other meanings, but usually they’re not much different. In any case, you should have a firm understanding of what a prefix means, what a prefixed function can and cannot do. All same-prefixed functions should obey the rules. And the team should share the knowledge.

Functions == Comments

Functions should be short and do exactly one thing. If that thing is big, maybe it’s worth it to split the function into a few smaller functions. Sometimes following this rule may not be that easy, but it’s definitely a good thing.

A separate function is not only easier to test and debug — its very existence is a great comment!

For instance, compare the two functions showPrimes(n) below. Each one outputs prime numbers up to n.

The first variant uses a label:

function showPrimes(n) {
  nextPrime: for (let i = 2; i < n; i++) {

    for (let j = 2; j < i; j++) {
      if (i % j == 0) continue nextPrime;
    }

    alert( i ); // a prime
  }
}

The second variant uses an additional function isPrime(n) to test for primality:

function showPrimes(n) {

  for (let i = 2; i < n; i++) {
    if (!isPrime(i)) continue;

    alert(i);  // a prime
  }
}

function isPrime(n) {
  for (let i = 2; i < n; i++) {
    if ( n % i == 0) return false;
  }
  return true;
}

The second variant is easier to understand, isn’t it? Instead of the code piece we see a name of the action (isPrime). Sometimes people refer to such code as self-describing.

So, functions can be created even if we don’t intend to reuse them. They structure the code and make it readable.

Summary

A function declaration looks like this:

function name(parameters, delimited, by, comma) {
  /* code */
}

Values passed to a function as parameters are copied to its local variables.
A function may access outer variables. But it works only from inside out. The code outside of the function doesn’t see its local variables.
A function can return a value. If it doesn’t, then its result is undefined.

To make the code clean and easy to understand, it’s recommended to use mainly local variables and parameters in the function, not outer variables.

It is always easier to understand a function which gets parameters, works with them and returns a result than a function which gets no parameters, but modifies outer variables as a side effect.

Function naming:

A name should clearly describe what the function does. When we see a function call in the code, a good name instantly gives us an understanding what it does and returns.
A function is an action, so function names are usually verbal.
There exist many well-known function prefixes like create…, show…, get…, check… and so on. Use them to hint what a function does.

Functions are the main building blocks of scripts. Now we’ve covered the basics, so we actually can start creating and using them. But that’s only the beginning of the path. We are going to return to them many times, going more deeply into their advanced features.