Ecmascript 6

(At least not without some of the tooling around it)

History Lesson

• Ecma is a non-profit standards organization
• Ecmascript is what we call the standard that Javascript is built to implement
• Ecmascript6 was ratified in June, 2015 (hence ES2015)

Notable Features

• Classes
• Arrow Functions (x) => { return x+1 }
• Module System (import/export)
• let, const (alternatives to var)
• Default Parameters
• Spread Operator ( ... )
• String Interpolation
• Enhanced Object Property Syntax
• Destructuring Assignment
• Generators (like in Python)
• Promises
• Object.assign()
• Array.filter(), Array.find()
• String Searching ( startsWith(), endsWith(), includes() )

Arrow Functions

It's a shorthand for anonymous functions.

Totally valid:

Alternatives To `var`

`let` and `const` behave a bit differently than `var`

Scope variable to current block

Cannot change value but can change object properties

Default Parameters

Sets a default value for a param if it is undefined when the function is called

Spread/Rest Operator

Unfolds values of an iterable into arrays or function params 

Much cleaner way to have write a function with a dynamic number of arguments

Object Property Syntax

Function shorthand

property name

===

variable name

Computed property names

Destructuring Assignment

Shorthand for taking things out of an array or object and putting them in the current scope

Object.Assign()

Assigns properties of all objects after the first param to the first param

Now, I know what you're thinking...

That's Awesome!!!

But there's some bad news

Current Support

Babel to the rescue!

Babel Demo

Babel will convert new syntax, like arrow functions

Babel will not add support for new functions, like Object.Assign()

Babel Warning

ES6 Modules

Named Exports/Imports

Or

Export

Or

Import

ES6 Modules

Default Exports/Imports

Export

Import

Thanks for Coming!

• You can follow me on Twitter @Mustack_
• Come to Ottawa JS, it's really cool!
• I will send out a survey to ask for feedback
  • In this same email, I'll include some extra resources
• Make sure to buy your summer BBQ tickets! (Or come with your own food)