All methods and properties of the object can be added in the constructor. This method doesn’t use prototype at all.

Declaration

The object is declared solely by it’s constructor. As an example, let’s build the Animal with property name and method run:

function Animal(name) {
  this.name = name
*!*   
  this.run = function() {
    alert("running "+this.name)
  }
*/!*
}

var animal = new Animal('Foxie')
animal.run()

As you see, properties and methods are assigned to this. As the result, we have a full object.

Inheritance

To create a Rabbit, inheriting from Animal:

1. First apply Animal constructor to this. We’ve got an Animal
2. Modify this, add more methods to get a Rabbit.

For example:

function Rabbit(name) {

  Animal.apply(this, arguments) // inherit

  this.bounce = function() {
    alert("bouncing "+this.name)
  }
}

rabbit = new Rabbit("Rab")

rabbit.bounce() // own method

rabbit.run()    // inherited method

The superclass constructor is called automatically when inhereting. There is no non-ugly way to first inherit, then do something, and then call the superclass constructor.

We can call constructor with custom parameters too:

function Rabbit(name) {
*!*
  Animal.call(this, "Mr. " + name.toUpperCase()) 
*/!*
  // ..
}

rabbit = new Rabbit("Rab")

rabbit.run()

At the end of new call we always have a single object with both own and parent methods in it. The prototype is not used at all.

Overriding (polymorphism)

Overriding a parent method is as easy as overwriting it in this. Of course we may want to copy the old method and call it in the process.

function Rabbit(name) {

  Animal.apply(this, arguments) 

  var parentRun = this.run  // keep parent method

  this.run = function() {  
    alert("bouncing "+this.name)
*!*
    parentRun.apply(this)  // call parent method
*/!*
  }
}

rabbit = new Rabbit("Rab")

rabbit.run()    // inherited method

Here we use apply to provide right this.

Private/protected methods (encapsulation)

Private methods and properties are supported really good in this pattern.

A local function or variable are private. All constructor arguments are private automatically.

That’s because all functions created in the scope of Rabbit can reference each other through closure, but the outside code can only access those assigned to this.

In the example below, name and created are private properties, used by private method sayHi:

function Rabbit(name) {

  Animal.call(this, "Mr. " + name.toUpperCase()) 

  var *!*created*/!* = new Date()  // private

  function *!*sayHi*/!*() {  // private
    alert("I'm talking rabbit " + *!*name*/!*)
  }

  this.report = function() {  
    *!*sayHi.apply(this)*/!*
    alert("Created at " + *!*created*/!*)
  }
}

rabbit = new Rabbit("Rab")

rabbit.report()

It is quite inconvenient to use call methods through apply, like sayHi.apply(this). So, the functions are usually bound to the object. Read more about that in Early and Late Binding

Local variables/functions become private, not protected. A child can’t access them:

function Animal() {
  var prop = 1
}

function Rabbit() {
  Animal.call(this) // inherit
*!*
  /* can't access prop from here */
*/!*
}

Protected properties are implemented same way as in pseudo-classical approach. That is, by naming convention: "_prop".

function Animal() {
  this._prop = 'test'  // protected
}

function Rabbit() {
  Animal.call(this) // inherit
*!*
  alert(this._prop) // access
*/!*
}

new Rabbit()

Summary

• The object is fully described by it’s constructor.
• Inheritance is done by calling the parent constructor in the context of current object.
• All local variables/functions become private, all assigned to this become public. Local functions are usually bound to the object.
• Protected properties can be prepended with underscore '_', but their protection can’t be forced on language level.
• Overriding is done as replacing the property in this. The old property may be copied and reused.

Comparison with pseudo-classical pattern

• rabbit instanceof Animal doesn’t work here. That’s because Rabbit does not inherit from Animal in prototype-sense.
• Slower creation, more memory for methods, because every object carries all methods in it, without prototype as shared storage. But on frontend programming we shouldn’t create many objects. So that’s not a big problem.
• Inheritance is joined with parent constructor call. That’s architectural inflexibility, because one can’t call parent method before parent constructor. Not so fearful though.
• Private methods and properties. That’s safe and fast. Especially because JavaScript compressors shorten them.
• There are no “occasionaly static” properties in prototype.

Actually, we have minor problems and advantages. Choose the method depending on how they refer to your application.