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JavaScript interview code challenges on Functions - concepts

  1. Write a function which returns another function and execute it after calling
  2. Write a function which executes another function recieved as an argument
  3. Create a function having no parameters declared and print all the arguments passed to it
  4. Write a function which executes only if the number of arguments match the number of parameters the function is expecting
  5. Design a function which can recieve variable number of arguments in parameters and print them
  6. Show the most common ways of creating functions in JavaScript
  7. Code the different forms of arrow functions for varying number of parameters
  8. Write a program where hoisting can be visualized
  9. Code an Immediately Invoked Function Expression (IIFE) and show the different ways of executing it
  10. Create an IIFE which receives arguments and executes
  11. Show the usage of IIFE to set a value of a variable
  12. Write a function which can return multiple values from a function
  13. Write a function which can set default value to the parameters of function when an argument is not passed. Also show how to use exisiting parameters to set the value of another parameter
  14. Show the usage of call, apply and bind with practical example
  15. Show the usage of function which can used as a constructor
  16. Show the procedure of creating object using a factory function
  17. Achieve prototypal inheritance using functions to create objects in JavaScript
  18. Write a code to show the differences between the techniques, currying and partial application
  19. Write a function to copy functions of an object to another object (mixin)
  20. Show the usage Proxy for function

Q1

Write a function which returns another function and execute it after calling

  • Functions can be declared, executed or returned inside another function
function higherOrderFunction(){
    function displayHello(){
        console.log("Hello")
    }
    return displayHello;
}

// driver code
var func = higherOrderFunction();
func();                                 // Hello
Notes

Function can also be stored in variables like other values in JavaScript

References

Q2

Write a function which executes another function recieved as an argument

  • Functions can be passed as arguments to another functions
  • Passing the function as argument will pass its reference hence no parenthesis
function callbackExecutor(callback){
    if(typeof callback === "function"){
        callback();
    }
}


// driver code
function callbackFunc(){
    console.log("Callback function executed");
}

callbackExecutor(callbackFunc);                         // Callback function executed
References

Q3

Create a function having no parameters declared and print all the arguments passed to it

  • When a function is invoked the arguments passed to it are accessible using the defualt object called "arguments"
  • Numbers starting from 0 is set as key of the object "arguments" corresponding to each argument in the order
  • arguments object will have length property as well which gives count of arguments passed
function func(){
    for(let key in arguments){
        console.log(arguments[key]);
    }
}

// driver code
func(1, "Hello", true);
function func(){
    for(let value of arguments){
        console.log(value);
    }
}

// driver code
func(1, "Hello", true);
Notes

Though the keys of arguments object look like numbers, "arguments" is not an array. Arrow functions will not have arguments object

References

Q4

Write a function which executes only if the number of arguments match the number of parameters the function is expecting

  • The number of parameters declared in a function can be obtained by accessing the length property of the function
function func(a, b, c){
    if(func.length === arguments.length){
        console.log("Number of arguments passed match the expected arguments");
    }
    else {
        throw new Error("Number of arguments passed do not match the expected arguments");
    }
}
References

Q5

Design a function which can recieve variable number of arguments in parameters and print them

function varArgsFunc(...params){
    params.forEach(function(value, index){
        console.log(index, ": ", value);
    })
}

// driver code
varArgsFunc("Hello", ",", "World", "!!!");
References

Q6

Show the most common ways of creating functions in JavaScript

  • The functions are most commonly created as function statements, function expression and arrow functions
  • Function statements get hoisted unlike function expressions
// Regular function as a function statement
function functionName(params) {
    //code block
}
// Regular function as a function expression
const functionName = function (params) {
    //code block
}
// Arrow function as a function expression
const arrowFunctionName = (params) => {
    //code block
}
Notes

As the arrow functions are not verbose, majority of developers prefer to create arrow functions for quick coding

References

Q7

Code the different forms of arrow functions for varying number of parameters

  • Arrow functions provide simpler syntax over function keyword functions
  • Arrow functions with single parameter, round brackets are optional
  • Arrow functions with single statement with return, flower brackets and return keywords are optional
const noArgsFunc = () => { 
    return "No args passed"
};
const singleArgFunc = (arg1) => "Argument is " + arg1;
const singleArgFunc = arg1 => {
    console.log("Argument is " + arg1);
    return arg1;
};
const twoArgsFunc = (arg1, arg2) => {
    return arg1 + arg2;
}
const threeArgsFunc = (arg1, arg2, arg3) => {
    console.log("Sum is " + (arg1 + arg2 + arg3));
    return true;
}
Notes

Arrow functions are also called fat arrow functions

References

Q8

Write a program where hoisting can be visualized

  • The function statement and variable declared with var are accessible before it appears in the code
  • Declarations are put into memory before it executes any code segment that allows us to use a function before you declare it in your code
  • In hoisting the hoisted items are accessible in the scope it is declared
  • Function expressions do not get hoisted
num1 = 10;
printHello();

var num1;
function printHello(){
    console.log("Hello");
}

var nonHoistedFunc = function(){
    console.log("Hello");
}
Notes

Hoisting was thought up as a general way of thinking about how execution contexts work in JavaScript. In reality, code does not get hoisted, but affect is seen due to compilation and execution phases followed by JavaScript compiler

References

Q9

Code an Immediately Invoked Function Expression (IIFE) and show the different ways of executing it

  • IIFE is a JavaScript function that runs as soon as it is defined
  • IIFE prevents polluting the global scope
(function IIFE(){
    console.log("I am an Immediately invoked function");
})();
(function IIFE(){
    console.log("I am an Immediately invoked function");
}());
+function IIFE(){
    console.log("I am an Immediately invoked function");
}();
References

Q10

Create an IIFE which receives arguments and executes

  • Arguments can be passed normally to an IIFE like we pass to while calling regular functions
  • Multiple arguments can be passed similar to function invokation with arguments
(function IIFE(param1, param2){
    console.log("I am an Immediately invoked function");
    console.log("Parameter 1: " + param1);
    console.log("Parameter 2: " + typeof param2);
    console.log("Parameter 2 output: " + param2());
})("hello", function(){ return "I am a string from a function passed to IIFE"; });
Notes

A string and a function is passed as arguments to the IIFE


Q11

Show the usage of IIFE to set a value of a variable

  • IIFE can be directly executed when it is used as an expression against assignment to a variable
var randomNumber = function (){
    return Math.floor(Math.random() * 100);
}();

Q12

Write a function which can return multiple values from a function

  • Function in general is designed to return a single value.
  • Generators are special type of functions which returns iterator which in turn can be used to send & receive values.
function multipleValueReturnFunc(){
    const a = 5, b = 10;
    return [a, b];
}

// driver code
const [x, y] = multipleValueReturnFunc();
function multipleValueReturnFunc(){
    const a = 'Java', b = 'Script';
    return {
        a, b
    };
}

// driver code
const {x, y} = multipleValueReturnFunc();
function* multipleValueReturnFunc(){
    const a = 5, b = 10;
    yield a;
    yield b;
}

// driver code
const iterator = multipleValueReturnFunc();
const x = iterator.next().value;
const y = iterator.next().value;
Notes

Array and object are used in the programs to contain multiple values


Q13

Write a function which can set default value to the parameters of function when an argument is not passed. Also show how to use exisiting parameters to set the value of another parameter

  • Default function parameters allow named parameters to be initialized with default values if no value or undefined is passed
function defaultValueFunc(num = 10, num2 = 20, string = "Hello", bool = false, sum = num1 + num2 ){
    console.log(num, string, bool, sum);
}

// driver code
defaultValueFunc();                                 //  10, 20, false, 30
defaultValueFunc(4, 8);                             //  4, 8, false, 12
defaultValueFunc(10, 4, true);                      //  10, 4, true, 14
defaultValueFunc(5, 6, false, 11);                  //  5, 6, false, 11
defaultValueFunc(undefined, undefined, false);      //  10, 20, false, 30
Notes

The default values are set only for missing or undefined. null and other falsy values are considered as valid arguments and default will not be set

References

Q14

Show the usage of call, apply and bind with practical example

  • 'call' is a method on function prototype and is used to set the context of the function by passing it as 1st argument followed by the arguments
  • 'apply' is a method on function prototype and is used to set the context of the function by passing it as 1st argument followed by the array of arguments
  • 'bind' is a method on function prototype and is used to create a new function with the context as the 1st argument followed by the arguments
function displayThisValue(param1, param2) {
    console.log(this.value, param1, param2);
}

const obj = {
    value: 10
}
const valueArr = [20, 30];

// No context set
displayThisValue(20, 30);                                       // undefined, 20, 30

// 'obj' is set as the context using 'call'
displayThisValue.call(obj, ...valueArr);                        // 10, 20, 30

// 'obj' is set as the context using 'apply'
displayThisValue.apply(obj, valueArr);                          // 10, 20, 30

// No context set
setTimeout(displayThisValue, 1000, ...valueArr);                // undefined, 20, 30

// 'obj' is set as the context using 'bind'
setTimeout(displayThisValue.bind(obj), 1000, ...valueArr);      // 10, 20, 30
setTimeout(displayThisValue.bind(obj, ...valueArr), 1000);      // 10, 20, 30
Notes

The context inside the function can be accessed using this keyword

References

Q15

Show the usage of function which can used as a constructor

  • Function can be used to like a constructor by calling it with a new keyword
  • Constructor function is a normal function but generally used to create object and may also have functions in its prototype
  • Constructor function is generally preferred to start with Uppercase letter which is not mandatory
  • The return from the constructor function is new object created which is accessed with this inside the function
  • Constructor function can return an explicit object as well
function Employee(id){
    this.id = id;
}

Employee.prototype.setSalary = function(salary){
    this.salary = salary;
}

Employee.prototype.getSalary = function(){
    return this.salary;
}

// driver code
const emp = new Employee(1);
emp.setSalary(10000);
console.log(emp.getSalary());
Notes

Constructor function can be called without new keyword as well, which executes the function normally which is of not much use in most of the cases.

References

Q16

Show the procedure of creating object using a factory function

  • Any function which is not a class or constructor that returns an object without a new keyword is known as factory function
  • A normal function which can be modified to return an object which can be called by passing arguments
function factoryFunc(username, password, isActive = false, isAdmin = false) {
    if (typeof username !== 'string' && typeof password !== 'string') throw new Error('Invalid username or password');

    return {
        username,
        password,
        isActive,
        isAdmin,
        created: new Date(),
    };
}

// driver code
const user = factoryFunc('admin', 'password');
References

Q17

Achieve prototypal inheritance using functions to create objects in JavaScript

  • 2 functions can be used create objects with constructor call to the functions
  • The prototype of child function is connected with parent function to achieve the inheritance behavior
function parent(name){
    this.name = name;
}

parent.prototype.getName = function (){ 
    return this.name; 
}

function child(name){
    parent.call(this, name);
}

child.prototype = Object.create(parent.prototype);
child.prototype.getMyName = function(){ 
    return this.name; 
}

// driver code
var fk = new child("FK");
console.log(fk.getName());
console.log(fk.getMyName());

var pk = new parent("PK");
console.log(pk.getName());
Notes

Solution is one of the known way of achieving prototypal inheritance, but is not the only way to achieve it.

References

Q18

Write a code to show the differences between the techniques, currying and partial application

  • A function returning another function that might return another function, but every returned function must take only one parameter at a time is currying
  • A function returning another function that might return another function, but each returned function can take several parameters is partial application
// currying
function multiply(num1){
    return function (num2){
        return function (num3){
            return num1 * num2 * num3;
        }
    }
}
// partial application
function multiply(num1){
    return function (num2, num3){
        return function (num4){
            return num1 * num2 * num3 * num4;
        }
    }
}
References

Q19

Write a function to copy functions of an object to another object (mixin)

  • Mixins are a form of object composition, where component features get mixed into a composite object
  • In JavaScript we can only inherit from a single object. Mixins allow copying properties of other function prototype or objects to the target object
// mixin using Object.assign

function mixin(sourceObj, targetObj) {
    // copy properties of source object to target object
    return Object.assign(targetObj, sourceObj);
}

// driver code
const obj1 = {
    task1() {
        console.log('Task1');
    },
};

const obj2 = {
    task2() {
        console.log('Task2');
    },
};

let mixinObj = mixin(obj1, {});
mixinObj = mixin(obj2, mixinObj);
mixinObj.task1();                               // Task1
mixinObj.task2();                               // Task2
// mixin using property copy through loops (pre ES6)

function mixin(sourceObj, targetObj) {
    for (var key in sourceObj) {
        // only copy if not already present
        if (!(key in targetObj)) {
            targetObj[key] = sourceObj[key];
        }
    }
    return targetObj;
}

// driver code
var obj1 = {
    task1() {
        console.log('Task1');
    },
};

var obj2 = {
    task2() {
        console.log('Task2');
    },
};

var mixinObj = mixin(obj1, {});
mixinObj = mixin(obj2, mixinObj);
mixinObj.task1();                               // Task1
mixinObj.task2();                               // Task2
Notes

'task1' and 'task2' from 'obj1' and 'obj2' are copied to 'mixinObj'

References

Q20

Show the usage Proxy for function

  • The Proxy object enables create a proxy for a function, which can intercept the function calls
  • Proxy takes 1st argument as an function and 2nd argument as a object with different function traps
const proxy = new Proxy(function () { console.log(arguments); }, {
    apply(target, context, args){
        console.log("Proxy apply is invoked on target with context: " + context + ", arguments: " + args);
        return target.apply(context, args);
    }
});

// driver code
proxy(1, 2, 3);                 // Proxy apply is invoked on target with context: undefined, arguments: 1,2,3
proxy.call({}, 1, 2);           // Proxy apply is invoked on target with context: undefined, arguments: 1,2,3
proxy.apply({}, [5, 10]);       // Proxy apply is invoked on target with context: [object Object], arguments: 5,10
References

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