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Cover image for Let's Learn Polyfill in JavaScript 🚀
Jagroop Singh
Jagroop Singh

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Let's Learn Polyfill in JavaScript 🚀

Hello, JavaScript enthusiasts! 👋 Ever run into those pesky moments when your browser justdoesn't get it? 😤 You’re using a shiny, modern feature, but some users still cling to older browsers like they’re vintage treasures. EnterPolyfills—your knight in shining armor! 🛡️✨

Let’s break it down with fun examples and hands-on code snippets! 💻


What’s a Polyfill? 🤔

Think of a polyfill as a little helper that adds modern features to older environments. It’s like bringing a smartphone to a medieval battlefield—outdated browsers suddenly learn new tricks. 🧙‍♂️


Let's Get Our Hands Dirty! 🛠️

Problem: Older browsers don’t supportArray.prototype.includes

Modern #"apple","banana","mango"];console.log(fruits.includes("banana"));// true

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But wait! Older browsers yell:“What’s.includes?” 😱

Let’s fix it with a polyfill!

The Polyfill Magic 🪄

if(!Array.prototype.includes){Array.prototype.includes=function(item){returnthis.indexOf(item)!==-1;};}
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Boom! 💥 Now, even IE understands.includes like a pro. 🎉


Another Example:Object.assign

Modern #"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20px" height="20px" viewbox="0 0 24 24">Enter fullscreen modeExit fullscreen mode

But older browsers?“Nope, never heard of it.” 🤷‍♂️

Here’s how we help them out:

if(typeofObject.assign!=="function"){Object.assign=function(target,...sources){if(target==null){thrownewTypeError("Cannot convert undefined or null to object");}constto=Object(target);sources.forEach(source=>{if(source!=null){for(constkeyinsource){if(Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(source,key)){to[key]=source[key];}}}});returnto;};}
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Voila! 🥳 You just taught ancient browsers how toObject.assign.


But… Should You Always Use Polyfills? 🛑

Not so fast, hero! While polyfills are powerful, they increase your bundle size. Use themstrategically or leverage libraries likecore-js that manage polyfills for you. Better yet, useBabel for automatic transformations. 🌟


Time to Play: Can You Crack This? 🧠

Here’s a tricky one: What does this polyfill do? 🤔

if(!String.prototype.padStart){String.prototype.padStart=function(targetLength,padString){targetLength=targetLength>>0;// Truncate if a numberpadString=String(padString||"");if(this.length>targetLength){returnString(this);}else{targetLength=targetLength-this.length;if(targetLength>padString.length){padString+=padString.repeat(targetLength/padString.length);}returnpadString.slice(0,targetLength)+String(this);}};}
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Clue: It’s for strings… but what does it do? Leave your guesses in the comments! 📝


Final Thoughts 💭

Polyfills are like duct tape for JavaScript—quick fixes for browser gaps. Whether you’re writing one yourself or using a library, they’re indispensable tools for backward compatibility.

Remember: "With great power comes great responsibility." Use them wisely! 🕸️


Liked this post? Share it with your dev friends, and let’s keep making the web accessible to everyone, one polyfill at a time. 🚀

Happy coding, heroes! 💻✨

Top comments(3)

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jonrandy profile image
Jon Randy 🎖️
🤖 Artisanal developer - coding with varying degrees of success since 1983
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    Bangkok 🇹🇭
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• Edited on• Edited

Your polyfill forincludes is incomplete - you've missed the optionalfromIndex parameter. Polyfillsmust replicate all functionality, or they could cause issues.

Similarly, yourObject.assign does not work correctly, and gives different output to the built-in version of the same. It is also not an acceptable polyfill for this reason.

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Stephen Belovarich
Full stack web engineer, author, artist, teacher, cultural critic and indie music fan.
  • Location
    Portland, OR
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    Syracuse University / Rensselaer
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    Principal Software Development Engineer at Swimlane
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• Edited on• Edited

If a browser lacks Object.assign, the browser probably lacks const or the format of the for loop.

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JohannaThomas
Kukasoittii.fi is a Finnish platform that helps users identify unknown callers. With its intuitive design, it allows individuals to check phone numbers, avoid spam calls, and https://kukasoittii.fi/
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Polyfills are a developer's best friend! They allow us to use modern JavaScript features in older browsers, ensuring compatibility and smoother functionality. Let’s dive in and make the web more inclusive, one polyfill at atime! 💻✨

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Jagroop Singh
👨‍💻 Full Stack Developer | 🤖 Machine Learning Developer | 🤝 Dev Relations Pro – 💼 Available for Hire | 24k+ Followers | 355k+ Views
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    India
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    Bachelor of Technology (Computer Science & Engineering)
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    He/Him
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    Tech Lead ( Software Engineer)
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