Exploring Prototype Utilization with ES6 Classes in JavaScript

Enhance Your Understanding of Prototypes by Leveraging ES6 Class Syntax

Photo by Denisse Leon on Unsplash

In modern JavaScript, ES6 introduced class syntax, making object-oriented programming more intuitive and organized. Under the hood, ES6 classes still rely on prototypes for inheritance.

In this guide, we’ll explore how to use prototypes in conjunction with ES6 classes, providing clear examples to deepen your understanding.

Understanding Prototypes in ES6 Classes

While ES6 classes offer a more familiar syntax for defining object-oriented structures, it’s essential to grasp that they still utilize prototypes for inheritance. Each class in JavaScript has a prototype, and instances of the class share methods and properties defined in its prototype.

Leveraging Prototypes in ES6 Classes

Let’s start by defining a class and exploring how prototypes are used:

class Person {
  constructor(name) {
    this.name = name;
  }

  greet() {
    console.log(`Hello, my name is ${this.name}`);
  }
}

const john = new Person('John');
john.greet(); // Output: Hello, my name is John