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Discussion on: What Javascript Spread Operator is, How It Works and How to Use It

 
pentacular profile image
pentacular
let obj2 = obj1;

This initializes obj2 with the value of obj1.

So I guess you're writing "reference" because you agree that it isn't actually a reference?

1. Let bindingId be StringValue of BindingIdentifier.
2. Let lhs be ResolveBinding(bindingId).
3. If IsAnonymousFunctionDefinition(Initializer) is true, then
a. Let value be NamedEvaluation of Initializer with argument bindingId.
4. Else,
a. Let rhs be the result of evaluating Initializer.
b. Let value be ? GetValue(rhs).
5. Return InitializeReferencedBinding(lhs, value).

What you may notice here is that there is no distinction between primitive and object types -- in both cases we get the value and initialize the variable with it.

I think the confusion in these cases comes from a mistaken belief that the properties of an object are part of the object's value -- but this clearly isn't the case in the language specification.

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jdforsythe profile image
Jeremy Forsythe • Edited

There is a distinction. Read the GetValue definition and follow it down.

In any case, we're down a semantic hole about the language spec. My example in my first comment clearly shows that spread doesn't create a deep copy.

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pentacular profile image
pentacular
1. ReturnIfAbrupt(V).
2. If Type(V) is not Reference, return V.
3. Let base be GetBase(V).
4. If IsUnresolvableReference(V) is true, throw a ReferenceError exception.
5. If IsPropertyReference(V) is true, then
a. If HasPrimitiveBase(V) is true, then
i. Assert: In this case, base will never be undefined or null.
ii. Set base to ! ToObject(base).
b. Return ? base.[[Get]](GetReferencedName(V), GetThisValue(V)).
6. Else,
a. Assert: base is an Environment Record.
b. Return ? base.GetBindingValue(GetReferencedName(V), IsStrictReference(V)) (see 8.1.1).

I'm not seeing the relevant distinction -- could you point it out?

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jdforsythe profile image
Jeremy Forsythe

No, I'm not going to read the spec for you.

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pentacular profile image
pentacular

I did the reading.

There's nothing there that distinguishes between primitive and object values.

So, I think you're mistaken and am giving you the opportunity to reconsider your claim.

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jdforsythe profile image
Jeremy Forsythe

If you do a behavior test in any interpreter there is obviously a difference. I'm pretty sure not every JS interpreter developer is mistaken. There is a clear difference but we've gone from me saying "hey, that's not a deep copy" to you asking me to point out the intricacies of the JS spec. Sorry, read it again. Every JS interpreter dev can't be wrong and you're right.

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pentacular profile image
pentacular

What is the obvious difference?

Every JS interpreter I've used copies the value of the object exactly as I expect, given my understanding of the spec.

Noting that the spec differentiates between an object value and the properties associated with that object value.

Please clarify the behavior test that you have in mind so that it can be tested.

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jdforsythe profile image
Jeremy Forsythe

You're moving the goal posts. I said it distinguishes between an object and primitives. That is demonstrated by the example in my first comment, which is why it's not a deep copy. Every interpreter runs my example the same way, allowing you to mutate the original using the copy.

Every interpreter since I started writing JS in the 1990s treats objects and primitives differently. There are countless articles over the last 20 years about that fact. You can't really believe that everyone is wrong. Given that, it must be you who misunderstands the spec. So I suggest you look up all the definitions of things used inside GetValue. If you look at it long enough, you'll see that it quite clearly follows a different path for primitive values than it does for objects.

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pentacular profile image
pentacular

What's the distinction that it makes?

JS doesn't allow you to mutate values at all -- and there's no difference between objects and values in that regard.

The only things you can mutate in JS are properties and variables.

(And this is one of the reasons that properties are not part of the object's value)

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fernandomk6 profile image
Fernando Henrique

Objects and primitives have their values copied when the assignment sign is used. Primitive values are literal values, object values are pointers.