What's the deal with the @params in JavaScript

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The @params in js

simply it's documentation for function parameters.

benefits

• code completion in equipped editors
• description of parameters and types to the consumers of the function "API" - especially for a JavaScript module

what it is not:

• a type enforcer e.g the typescript compiler, if a function is expecting a string and you pass a number it yells at you, the @param does not do that; u have to handle that by your self as you see in the image i handled errors or unwanted types with typeof:

How does it work(simply)

step 1 : you must have a function with parameters that can be documented

here is our pokeBall function with three paramters

function PokeBall(name, abilities, cb){

    if(typeof name === "string" && typeof abilities === "object" && typeof cb === "function"){
        let theChosenOne = `You chose ${name} ability : ${abilities.name} power: ${abilities.power}`

        cb(theChosenOne, null)
    }
    else {
      cb(null, `incorrect params`)
    }



}

2 document "usually" on top of the func
- first the comments thingy s /***/

 /**
*
* @callback cb_
* @param {Object}  val - returned val from the database
* @param {String}  err - returned error from the database
*
*/

1. a simple form or shape of the documentation (JSDoc) is:

@param {type} parameter space hyphen space

e.g : @param {String} myString - this is my string

Going over the examples

documenting PokeBall params

/**
 *
 * @param {String} name - name of the pokemon
 * @param {Object} abilities -   pokemon abilities
 * @param {String} abilities.name -   ability name
 * @param {Number} abilities.power  pokemon name
 *
 * @param {cb_} cb - callback function
 *
 */

i think the first one is self explanatory, but the type is in {} braces

name - is the first parameter, if ur param was Publish, u would exactly write that

then space hyphen space followed by the doc/explanation of the param that will show up in the intellisence and code completion

for objects u document the param first, then the parameters of the object as depicted by the abilities object

• @param {Object} abilities - pokemon abilities
  • @param {String} abilities.name - ability name
  • @param {Number} abilities.power pokemon name

So why should you care

• it will speed up your development process
• code completion and u don't have to look up the function and know what it takes and does
• basically it solves "SOME" of the problems typescript solves

Below are screenshots of @param at work in "VScode":

To learn more checkout the documentation:

@JSDoc

if u have a question do tweet or dm me, cause i am more active there

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