Const declares something to be constant. Can it mutate?

TL;DR: Don't rely on languages cheating about directives.

Problems

• Unexpected side effects.

• Accidental complexity.

Solutions

1. Use better languages

2. Use spread operator

Sample Code

Wrong

const array = [1, 2];array.push(3)//array => [1, 2, 3]//Wasn't it constant ?//constant != immutable ?

Right

const array = [1, 2];const newArray = [...array,3 ]//array => [1, 2] Didn't mutate//newArray = [1, 2, 3]

Detection

Since this is a "language feature", we can explicitly forbid it.

Tags

• Mutability

• JavaScript

Conclusion

We should always favour immutability on our designs and take extra care with side effects.

More Info

• The evil power of mutants

Credits

Photo by Zorik D on Unsplash

Thank you, @oliverjumpertz for this tip.

Maxi Contieri

@mcsee1

@oliverjumpertz so.. a 'const' array is mutable ? WTF !

Another code smell ?
What do you think?

13:06 PM - 24 Aug 2021

Correctness is clearly the prime quality. If a system does not do what it is supposed to do, then everything else about it matters little.

Bertrand Meyer

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