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JavaScript jQuery Basics (2014) Creating a Password Confirmation Form Perform: Part 1

Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points
Posted by Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points

I'm not really sure what Andrew means by a 'named method' in this video.

Andrew specifically says "let's create a named method" and then creates a function, this is a term I have not heard used before. Could someone please clarify what he means - or point me to specific resources that help.

Samuel Webb
Samuel Webb
25,370 Points
Samuel Webb
Samuel Webb
25,370 Points

At what point in the video does he say that?

1 Answer

Jose Soto
Jose Soto
23,407 Points
Jose Soto
Jose Soto
23,407 Points

He actually says named function, which happens to be called 'passwordEvent'. A named function provides a way to call a method again throughout your code. In this example, Andrew started the password length validator with an anonymous function tied to an event. Here is a simple example of an anonymous function:

$('button #my_button').click(function(){
    console.log('Hello');
});

The only time that function will be called is when the button with id 'my_button' is clicked. This is different from a named function like this;

function sayHello(){
    console.log('Hello');
}

A named function can be called again throughout your code by invoking the function like so:

sayHello();

// OR

$('button #my_button').click(sayHello);

Hope that helps. Cheers!

Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points
Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points

Thanks for the reply, I actually got that wrong, it was not a named event, but he refers to this: 'kind of redundant, we could actually create a named method.' @7:56min into the video. Is he talking about a named function that calls a method?

Jose Soto
Jose Soto
23,407 Points
Jose Soto
Jose Soto
23,407 Points

I see what you mean. He did say "named method" and I can see how that would be confusing. The terms 'method' and 'function' can get interchanged in programming speak. However, there is a difference between the two. A function is a block of code that can accept inputs and return outputs. A method is a function that is inside of a class.

So a method is a function, but a function is not necessarily a method. Andrew may have been thinking that the function he was creating will soon be placed into a class. In that case, the function would become a method.

This is the naming convention:

Outside of a Class

  1. Variable
  2. Function

Inside of a Class

  1. Property
  2. Method
Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points
Nicholas Woods
Nicholas Woods
6,260 Points

Thanks Jose, that cleared it up.