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Passing parameters as a single object

Posted on

If a function accepts many parameters, it can be hard to remember what they each represent. If we turn the list of parameters into an object instead, we have to label the values as we pass them to the function.

Every time we call this function, we can see what each parameter represents by its key on that object.

// This function takes five parameters. In the body of the function, they
// can be accessed with names that describe what each value represents.
const hostGuest = (age, hoursAwake, isHungry, isTired, name) => {
  if (isTired) {
    // let them rest
  } else if (isHungry) {
    // give them food
  }
}
 
// When using that function, that descriptiveness is lost. Without looking
// at the function, we have to remember what each value means. Is John 30 or
// 19? Are they hungry or tired?
hostGuest(30, 19, false, true, "John")
 
 
// By wrapping the parameters in curly brackets, the function now accepts a
// single object instead of five independent values. We can still access
// them exactly as we did before.
const hostGuest = ({ age, hoursAwake, isHungry, isTired, name }) => {
  if (isTired) {
    // let them rest
  } else if (isHungry) {
    // give them food
  }
}
 
// When using _this_ function, we have to pass it an object. The keys of
// that object help us describe what attribute each value represents.
hostGuest({
  age: 30,
  hoursAwake: 19,
  isHungry: false,
  isTired: true,
  name: "John"
})
// This function takes five parameters. In the body of the function, they
// can be accessed with names that describe what each value represents.
const hostGuest = (age, hoursAwake, isHungry, isTired, name) => {
  if (isTired) {
    // let them rest
  } else if (isHungry) {
    // give them food
  }
}
 
// When using that function, that descriptiveness is lost. Without looking
// at the function, we have to remember what each value means. Is John 30 or
// 19? Are they hungry or tired?
hostGuest(30, 19, false, true, "John")
 
 
// By wrapping the parameters in curly brackets, the function now accepts a
// single object instead of five independent values. We can still access
// them exactly as we did before.
const hostGuest = ({ age, hoursAwake, isHungry, isTired, name }) => {
  if (isTired) {
    // let them rest
  } else if (isHungry) {
    // give them food
  }
}
 
// When using _this_ function, we have to pass it an object. The keys of
// that object help us describe what attribute each value represents.
hostGuest({
  age: 30,
  hoursAwake: 19,
  isHungry: false,
  isTired: true,
  name: "John"
})
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