Syntactic sugar
Syntactic sugar is language syntax that provides a more convenient or readable form for expressing behavior already representable by other constructs without changing its meaning.
The Well-Grounded Rubyist, Fourth Edition
Syntactic sugar is a language feature that provides a more convenient or readable syntax for expressing an operation supported by the language's ordinary rules.
- How it is used
- Makes Ruby method calls read like assignment, arithmetic, indexing, or other familiar operations.
- How deep it goes
- Explains the method calls behind setter and operator notation, including custom definitions, shortcuts, semantic pitfalls, and non-overridable operators.
- Examples
- Uses a ticket price setter, normalized travel year, custom `+`, bank-account `-=`, and arithmetic written as explicit method calls.
- What you can do after
- Build it from scratch by defining setter or operator methods, and diagnose/debug surprising operator behavior by checking those methods.
Read how The Well-Grounded Rubyist, Fourth Edition explains syntactic sugar →
Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, Second Edition
Language syntax that makes an operation easier to read or write without adding new underlying capabilities.
- How it is used
- Makes class-like object setup, function expressions, and iterator traversal shorter or clearer to write.
- How deep it goes
- Defines the idea through three comparisons, including class-to-prototype mechanics and iterator next/done handling.
- Examples
- Uses a Ninja class, a sorting callback, and a generator loop to compare concise syntax with its mechanics.
- What you can do after
- Understand how class, arrow-function, and for-of forms relate to prototypes, function expressions, and iterator operations.
Read how Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, Second Edition explains syntactic sugar →
Related concepts
- classequivalent to · A class is a programming-language construct that defines a type’s structure or behavior and provides a basis for creating or representing objects.
- accessor methodused by · An accessor method or function provides access to an object's property or state by retrieving its value, assigning a value, or defining behavior for such access.
- method callcontrasts with · A method call is an expression that invokes a method associated with an object, value, or type, optionally supplying arguments.
- decoratorequivalent to · A decorator is a programming-language construct that adds metadata or behavior to, or transforms, a program declaration, often a function or class.
- function overloadingincludes · Function overloading is defining multiple callable operations with the same name but different parameter signatures, with behavior selected according to the call.
- do notationincludes · Do notation is Haskell syntax for sequencing monadic computations and binding their intermediate results in a readable, imperative-like form.
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