Javascript es6 override static properties

Question

Trying out ES6 and tried to create a class with static properties and function for parsing. Then I want to extend the base parser for each different type I am parsing. Not sure if I am doing a anti-pattern but I cannot override static properties.

This is my base parser

class Module {

  static name = 'Default Module'
  static version = {major:10000, minor: 10000}

  static checkVersion({majorVersion = 10000, minorVersion = 10000}) {
    if(this.version.major !== majorVersion || this.version.minor > minorVersion) {
      throw `${this.name} requires version ${this.version.major}.${this.version.minor} got ${majorVersion}.${minorVersion}`;
    }
  }

  static parse(data) {
    try {
      this.checkVersion(data);
      return this.internalParser(data);

    } catch (e) {
      throw e;
    }
  }

  static internalParser(data) {
    throw `${this.name} has no parser implemented`;
  }
}

And then I want to extend like this

class ExtendedModule extends Module {
  static name = 'Extended';
  static version = {major: 1, minor:0}

  static internalParser(data) {
    //Some stuff
  }
}

But when compiling in node with babel I get

true; if ('value' in descriptor) descriptor.writable = true; Object.defineProp
                                                                    ^
TypeError: Cannot redefine property: name
    at Function.defineProperty (native)

Anyone got a clue if this is even possible or just plain wrong?

Answer 1

Classes are functions (in transpiled code), and when you define static properties, they are attached directly to the class constructor function, so:

class Foo {
    static name = 'foo';
}

is the same as doing

function Foo(){}
Object.defineProperty(Foo, 'name', {
    configurable: true,
    writable: true,
    value: 'foo'
});

If you try doing that in your browser, you will get an error, which is exactly what you are seeing. This is because the function already has a property called name and it is Foo. In ES5, the name property was configurable: false, so what you are trying to do will not work, hence the TypeError: Cannot redefine property: name error and you need to rename your static to something else.

In ES6, name is actually configurable: true so what you are trying to do will work eventually, but browsers need to update themselves first.

The bigger question here is why you need to use a class. If you are using all static variables, you might as well just use a module that exports everything directly without the class, and wrap it. It have a module that exports a creation function that you pass an innerParser method or something. Your current code way over-uses classes.