When to use "this" in the function and when to use prototypes

Hey Kashish,

I wondered this myself for a while too. But actually is pretty logical.

When you use a constructor function to create an object with properties and methods...For example.

var Lamp = function (bulb, state){

this.bulb = bulb;
this.ison = state;
this.pressSwitch = function (){
     If (this.ison){
        this.ison = false;
      }
     else{
           this.ison = true;
      }

};
};

var bedroomLight = new Lamp ('LED' false );

Each time you create a new object it will have its own copy of the Lamp.pressSwitch method.

This is pointless because all lamps perform the same task. So instead of having objects repeat themselves and use memory. You can create a prototype method instead. So every time you call new Lamp the object created Inherits the function rather than having its own copy of the same code.

This is my understanding. Hope it helps.