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14.4 Anonymous Functions and Arrow Functions (15 mins)

  1. Introduction to Anonymous Functions:

    • An anonymous function is a function without a name. These functions are often used when you need a function only once or want to pass a function as an argument to another function.

    • Example:

      // Assigning an anonymous function to a variable
const greet = function() {
  console.log("Hello, World!");
};
greet();  // Outputs: Hello, World!

  2. Introduction to Arrow functions:

    • Arrow functions are a shorter syntax for writing functions introduced in ES6. They are especially useful for writing concise code.

    • Syntax:

      (parameters) => {
  // Function body
}

    • Example:

      const greet = () => {
  console.log("Hello, World!");
};
greet();  // Outputs: Hello, World!

  3. Comparison with Regular Function Definitions:

    • Regular Function:

      function add(a, b) {
  return a + b;
}
let result = add(5, 10);
console.log(result);  // Outputs: 15

    • Anonymous Function (Assigned to a variable):

      const add = function(a, b) {
  return a + b;
};
let result = add(5, 10);
console.log(result);  // Outputs: 15

    • Arrow Function:

      const add = (a, b) => a + b;
let result = add(5, 10);
console.log(result);  // Outputs: 15

  4. Key Differences:

    • Shorter Syntax: Arrow functions are more concise and omit the function keyword and curly braces {} when there's only one expression.

    • No this Binding: Arrow functions do not have their own this context. This makes them useful in scenarios where you want to preserve the this context from the surrounding code, such as in event handlers.

    • Anonymous Nature: Both anonymous functions and arrow functions are often used in callbacks (e.g., in event listeners or array methods like map() and forEach()).

  5. Example Use Cases:

    • Anonymous Function in a Callback:

      setTimeout(function() {
  console.log("This runs after 2 seconds");
}, 2000);

    • Arrow Function in an Array Method:

      let numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4];
let squared = numbers.map((num) => num * num);
console.log(squared);  // Outputs: [1, 4, 9, 16]

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Student Activity (15 mins):

Objective: Students will define and use anonymous functions and arrow functions, comparing them to regular function declarations.

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Step-by-Step Activity:

  1. Create an HTML file (e.g., functions_anonymous_arrow.html) and write JavaScript code to demonstrate the use of anonymous and arrow functions.

  2. Example Code:

  3. Run the file in a browser:

    • Open the HTML file in a browser and use Developer Tools (F12 or right-click and select Inspect > Console) to view the output of the anonymous and arrow functions.

  4. Activity:

    • Step 1: Run the code and observe how each function (regular, anonymous, and arrow) works.

    • Step 2: Modify the functions:

      • Write an anonymous function that calculates the area of a circle (πr²).

      • Write an arrow function that converts a temperature from Celsius to Fahrenheit ((C * 9/5) + 32).

    Challenge:

    • Write an anonymous function inside setTimeout() that prints a message after 3 seconds.

    • Write an arrow function that filters out even numbers from an array.

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Activity Follow-up Questions:

  1. What are the advantages of using arrow functions over regular functions?

  2. In what situations might you prefer an anonymous function over a named function?

  3. Can you think of a scenario where the difference in this binding between regular functions and arrow functions would matter?

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Expected Outcome:

Students will:

  • Understand how to define and use anonymous functions and arrow functions.

  • Compare the syntax and use cases for regular functions versus arrow functions.

  • Gain practical experience writing concise functions using the arrow function syntax.

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