What are getters and setters for in ECMAScript 6 classes?

class ecmascript-6 setter getter
TruMan1 picture TruMan1 · Jan 29, 2015 · Viewed 78.2k times · Source

I am confused as to what the point of getters and setters are in ECMAScript 6 classes. What is the purpose? Below is an example I am referring to:

class Employee {

    constructor(name) {
        this._name = name;
    }

    doWork() {
        return `${this._name} is working`;
    }

    get name() {
        return this._name.toUpperCase();
    }

    set name(newName){
        if(newName){ 
            this._name = newName;
        }
    }
}

Answer

David Laberge picture David Laberge · Jan 29, 2015

These setter and getter allow you to use the properties directly (without using the parenthesis)

var emp = new Employee("TruMan1");

if (emp.name) { 
  // uses the get method in the background
}

emp.name = "New name"; // uses the setter in the background

This is only to set and get the value of the property.

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