Scope in JavaScript: Types and Working Principles

What is Scope?

Scope is a part of code where variables and functions are accessible for use. In JavaScript, scope determines where you can reference variables, and plays a key role in memory management and preventing name conflicts.

Types of Scope

Global Scope

• Description: Variables declared in global context (outside all functions and blocks) are accessible throughout the code.
• Features:
  • Pollutes global namespace, which can lead to conflicts.
  • Use of global variables should be minimized.

var globalVar = "I am global"; // or let/const declared outside functions

function showGlobal() {
  console.log(globalVar); // access to global variable
}

Function Scope

• Description: Variables declared inside a function are only accessible inside that function.
• Features:
  • Function scope helps isolate variables and avoid conflicts between functions.
  • Keyword var has function scope.

function example() {
  var localVar = "I am local";
  console.log(localVar); // accessible inside function
}

console.log(localVar); // ReferenceError: localVar is not defined

Block Scope

• Description: Variables declared with let or const inside a block (e.g., inside curly braces {}), are only accessible in that block.
• Features:
  • Allows limiting variable scope inside conditional constructs, loops and other blocks.
  • Helps avoid errors related to variable redeclaration.

if (true) {
  let blockVar = "I am block-scoped";
  console.log(blockVar); // accessible inside block
}
console.log(blockVar); // ReferenceError: blockVar is not defined

Scope Working Features

• Lexical Scope: In JavaScript scope is determined at compile time (lexically), not at runtime. This means nested functions have access to outer function variables, even if called outside their parent function.

function outer() {
  let x = 10;
  function inner() {
    console.log(x); // x is accessible here thanks to lexical scope
  }
  return inner;
}

const innerFunc = outer();
innerFunc(); // 10

• Closures: Closure is a function that "remembers" its lexical scope, even when executed outside its original scope. This allows the function to use variables declared in its outer environment.

function counter() {
  let count = 0;
  return function() {
    count++;
    console.log(count);
  };
}

const increment = counter();
increment(); // 1
increment(); // 2

Summary

Scope in JavaScript is divided into:

• Global scope: accessible throughout code.
• Function scope: accessible only inside function.
• Block scope: accessible inside specific block defined by curly braces.