Lambda Function Javascript 2023: Key Features & Best Practices

Last Modified: November 22nd, 2023

Depending on who you’re talking to or what you’re talking about, the letter lambda can have a variety of meanings. In JavaScript, JavaScript Lambda usually refers to an anonymous function. That is a function that is not named and is typically used as a value supplied to another function to pass behavior as a value.

Despite the fact that JavaScript was released 20 years ago, it is still the most used language for online development. JavaScript is used by businesses to generate dynamic and interactive web pages that work across several browsers. JavaScript, with its expanding demand and a plethora of new emerging frameworks, aids programmers in the development of large-scale web applications.

In this blog, we’ll bring you more insights on JavaScript and JavaScript Lambda Function.

Table of Contents

What is JavaScript?

JAVASCRIPT LAMBDA FUNCTIONS - Java Script logo
Image Source

JavaScript is a simple programming language that allows website owners to add additional features and functionality. It adds functionality to a webpage, and javascript is utilized by around 97 percent of all websites on the internet. Websites use JavaScript and third-party libraries on the client-side. All major web browsers include a JavaScript engine for running JavaScript code on client devices. Using JavaScript, the static web page is converted into an interactive web page.

JavaScript is a scripting language that is used to create networked applications. JavaScript may be written in any code editor or file editor, saved with the.js extension, and run in any major web browser without the need to install any other packages or libraries.

In November 1996, Netscape proposed JavaScript to ECMA International as the starting point for a common definition that other browser vendors could adopt. As a result, the first official ECMA Script language definition was released in June 1997.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has solidified its position as the market leader in browsers. By the early 2000s, Internet Explorer had a 95% market share. As a result, JScript became the Internet’s de facto standard for client-side scripting.

The ECMA Script standard does not include any input/output (I/O) capabilities such as networking, storage, or graphics. In practice, JavaScript APIs for I/O are provided by the web browser or another runtime system.

Although the names, syntax, and standard libraries of Java and JavaScript are similar, the two languages are separate and differ substantially in design. For more info on JS click here.

Key Features of JavaScript

Some of JavaScript’s characteristics are as follows:

  • Independent of Platform: Because web browsers interpret JavaScript, any platform dependency, compatibility, and other difficulties are eliminated. JavaScript adds capabilities to a wide range of browsers, reducing server load and network traffic.
  • Typing Dynamically: It suggests that the variables’ types are decided by the value stored.
  • Processing in Async Model: Async programming is supported by JavaScript, which allows it to conduct asynchronous actions without waiting for a response, which can slow down request processing.
  • Approach Based on Function: JavaScript has a functional approach to object creation, with each Object() [native code] function representing a distinct type of object.
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What is a JavaScript Lambda Function?

A JavaScript Lambda Function is a short anonymous function that takes one or more parameters and has only one expression. They essentially permit functions to be provided as parameters to other functions. Because functions are viewed as objects in JavaScript, they can be passed and returned from other functions to create lambda functions.

The Code for Implementing Lambdas using Arrow Functions in JavaScript is shown below:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<title>Document</title>
<style>
   body {
      font-family: "Segoe UI", Tahoma, Geneva, Verdana, sans-serif;
   }
   .sample,
   .result {
      font-size: 20px;
      font-weight: 500;
      color: blueviolet;
   }
   .sample {
      color: red;
   }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Lambdas with Arrow Functions in JavaScript</h1>
<div class="sample">[1,2,3,4,5,6,7]</div>
<div class="result"></div>
<br />
<button class="Btn">CLICK HERE</button>
<h3>Click on the above button to square the array above</h3>
<script>
   let BtnEle = document.querySelector(".Btn");
   let sampleEle = document.querySelector(".sample");
   let resEle = document.querySelector(".result");
   let arr = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7];
   let square = (item) => item * item;
   function arraySq(func, arr) {
      let newArr = [];
      arr.forEach((element) => {
         newArr.push(func(element));
      });
      resEle.innerHTML = "The new array = " + newArr;
   }
   BtnEle.addEventListener("click", (event) => {
      arraySq(square, arr);
   });
</script>
</body>
</html>

Output

JAVASCRIPT LAMBDA FUNCTIONS - Lambda Function
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When you click the ‘CLICK HERE‘ button, you will be sent to a new page.

JAVASCRIPT LAMBDA FUNCTIONS - Lambda Function
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JavaScript Lambda Function Standard Library Routines

In Javascript, lambda functions are widely utilized in two ways:

  1. The call to the lambda L is synchronous when a lambda expression (let’s call it L) is supplied as an argument to a function (let’s call it F) and the lambda L is run by function F instantly before the function F returns. So far, the Javascript examples in this guide have all been synchronous.
  1. The call to the lambda L is asynchronous when the function F stores it to be called later so that F can return before L is executed. It frequently occurs after other stored lambda functions have been executed, resulting in a sort of concurrent execution of many jobs. A lambda expression that is run asynchronously is commonly referred to as a “callback.”

Asynchronous callbacks are so common in Javascript that I can’t even begin to list any examples. The async package and the promising design idea are the next areas to investigate.

Benefits of JavaScript Lambda Functions

There are numerous advantages to functional programming. This is why it is being used in computer languages such as JavaScript.

1) JavaScript Lambda Functions Are Pure

One advantage of functional programming is that it allows us to define pure functions in our code.
If we send the same input to a pure function, it always returns the same result.

For example, we could write

const square = (value) => value ** 2;

We get the value and return its square. This remains constant regardless of what happens outside.

2) JavaScript Lambda Function Code Is Reasonable

The code for the function is completely contained within the function, it is simple to read.
As an example, suppose we have:

const square = (value) => value ** 2;

All we did was square the number passed in. Because there is nothing outside, we can easily inspect it.

3) JavaScript Lambda Function Can Duplicate Code

We don’t have to worry about synchronizing our function’s value with anything outside the function because pure functions don’t rely on any values outside the function.

If we have global values, we may have to do the following:

let global = "something"
let foo = (input) => {
  global = "somethingElse"
}
let bar = () => {
  if (global === "something") {
    //...
  }
}

Before we do anything, we must first check the value of the global variable.
We don’t have to do that with pure function because there are no external dependencies.

4) JavaScript Lambda Function Is Cachable

Pure functions always provide the same result when given the same input.
As a result, we can easily cache the function outputs.

const cache = {
  1: 2,
  3: 4,
  //...
}

We just utilize the key as the input and the value as the output. We may simply look up the value in the cache.

5) JavaScript Lambda Function Are Composables

We can easily compose pure functions. We just transmit the result of one pure function to another pure function.

For instance, we could write:

const foo = (a) => {
  return a * 2;
}
const bar = (b) => {
  return b * 3;
}

We can put the functions together by writing:

foo(bar(100));

It has the appearance of a mathematical function, and it is a mathematical function.

Conclusion

JavaScript offers a wide range of uses for creating a rich server interface that is simple, popular, and fast. Because there is global support for the developer community, several large corporations, such as Google, established the Angular framework and Facebook created the React.js framework to consume REST APIs.

When it comes to programming, I’m a big fan of Lord of the Rings especially the “Ring of Power: one language to rule them all.” True, each programming language has advantages and cons, and Javascript began as a quick solution for browser interactivity.

However, Javascript has evolved and matured significantly over the years, to the point that it can now be used to accomplish a great deal.

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Share your learning experience of JavaScript Lambda Functions in the comment section below!

mm
Former Research Analyst, Hevo Data

Davor is a data analyst at heart with a passion for data, software architecture, and writing technical content. He has experience writing more than 100 articles on data integration and infrastructure.

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