Simplifying Your Conditional Methods in Javascript with Chained Expressions

Discover how to conditionally call chained methods in Javascript to enhance your coding efficiency with this simple one-liner solution!
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Simplifying Your Conditional Methods in Javascript with Chained Expressions

In the world of Javascript, writing clean and concise code is always a priority. As developers, we often face situations where we need to write conditional logic that can complicate our code. One common scenario you might encounter is the need to conditionally run chained methods—especially when using testing libraries like Jest.

The Problem: Conditional Chained Method Calls

You might have a situation where you're using Jest for testing and need to check if an element is visible or not based on a boolean value. Here’s the traditional code that you might be using to handle this condition:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

While this approach works, it can be cumbersome when you want to reduce the code to a more concise one-liner. You may find it challenging to simplify this expression due to the blocking nature of the .not method in Jest’s expect() function.

The Solution: Using an Immediately Invoked Arrow Function

To streamline your code, you can utilize an immediately invoked arrow function. This approach allows you to maintain the clarity of your logic while reducing the amount of code you write. Here’s how you can do it:

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Let’s break down how this code works:

Breakdown of the Code

Conditional Logic: Inside the IIFE:

If value is true, the function returns e (which is expect(element)).

Final Call: The chained method .toBeVisible() is executed regardless of which version of expect is returned.

Alternative Approach for Clarity

For those who prefer more readability or don’t want to use an IIFE, there’s a more transparent way to achieve the same result:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This alternative maintains clarity as it clearly separates the creation of the expect object and the conditional call, while still simplifying the original code.

Conclusion

By using an immediately invoked arrow function or a simple conditional approach, you can efficiently and conditionally call chained methods in Javascript. This not only makes your code cleaner but also enhances readability—a crucial aspect of maintaining long-term projects.

With these techniques, you can confidently refactor your code into concise expressions, making your coding experience smoother and more efficient. Happy coding!