Using getters/setters as opposed to methods?

#discuss #javascript

What are your thoughts on using getters & setters in Javascript as opposed to methods? And when and why would you use them?

This

const obj1 = {
  _name: 'Rick',
  get name(){
    return this._name;
  },
  set name(name){
    this.name = name;
  }
};

As opposed to

const obj2 = {
  _name: 'Morty',
  getName() {
    return this._name;
  },
  setName(name){
    this.name = name;
  }
};

Top comments (5)

I've had trouble with tsc (TypeScript compiler)'s get and set in the past, as well as I don't see much benefit.

Also the same case with Python, I see get and set as generally should be avoided, as they may obscure implementation.

The only real time I see benefit, is in Vue class components, where get will be translated to Vue getters, therefore cached.

I tend to forget about them and don't use them often, can't see why. I was hoping somebody explained how they used them and why.

I don't use getters/setters often, but sometimes they make interfaces look a lot cleaner, for example: myArray.length instead of myArray.length()

I really don’t use them. Mostly because I keep forgetting they exist.

Is there any performance reason to not use them?

I also forget about them :P

I don't think there is, although I haven't made much research in that respect.

Correction: It kinda has some side-effects and is prone to errors, for example, if a method or property is mispeled:

person.getFulName(); // Throws error
person.fulname; // Does not throw