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  3. /lodash

Introduction to Lodash - A JavaScript Library

What is Lodash?

The original author of Lodash is John-David Dalton. Lodash was forked from Underscore.js and in 2013, joined the Dojo Foundation and is now a part of the OpenJS Foundation through the jQuery Foundation and JS Foundation.

As a JavaScript library, Lodash provides a wide range of utility functions that can be used to perform common programming tasks such as manipulating arrays, objects, and strings. It also provides a consistent and predictable API that makes it easy to use.

Basic Environment Setup

To use Lodash in your project, you will first need to install it via npm (Node Package Manager) by running the following command:

npm install --save lodash

Once Lodash is installed, you can import it into your project by using the following code:

const _ = require('lodash');

You can also use Lodash in the browser by including the following script tag in your HTML file:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/[email protected]/lodash.min.js"></script>

Prerequisites for Using Lodash

Using Lodash requires a basic understanding of JavaScript and web development. Also, it's recommended that you have some experience with Node.js and basic knowledge of npm if you plan to use in such a manner.

Key Features

Lodash provides a wide range of features that can be used to perform common programming tasks such as:

  • Array manipulation (e.g. _.chunk, _.reverse)
  • Object manipulation (e.g. _.get, _.set)
  • String manipulation (e.g. _.camelCase, _.trim)
  • Function manipulation (e.g. _.bind, _.throttle)
  • Collection manipulation (e.g. _.groupBy, _.countBy)

Here is an example of how you can use Lodash to manipulate an array of numbers:

const numbers = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
const doubledNumbers = _.map(numbers, (number) => number * 2);
console.log(doubledNumbers); // [2, 4, 6, 8, 10]

In another example, we will use Lodash to manipulate an object:

const person = { name: 'John', age: 30 };
const name = _.get(person, 'name');
console.log(name); // 'John'

_.set(person, 'age', 35);
console.log(person); // { name: 'John', age: 35 }

Most Common Use in Modern Web Applications

For example, a common use of Lodash in a web application would be to use it to manipulate an array of data that is being displayed in a table. By using Lodash's array manipulation functions, a developer can easily sort, filter, and format the data for display. Additionally, Lodash's collection manipulation functions can be used to group and count the data, making it easier to create summary statistics and charts.

Another common use of Lodash in web applications is to use it to manipulate strings. Lodash's string manipulation functions can be used to format and clean data, such as converting strings to title cases or removing unwanted whitespace. It's especially useful when working with user-generated content or external data sources.

Lodash is also commonly used to create and manipulate functions. For example, Lodash's _.bind and _.throttle functions can be used to create event handlers that are more performant and easier to work with. This can be particularly useful when working with complex user interfaces or real-time data.

Summary

  • Lodash offers useful functions for typical programming tasks.

  • It is popular, well-documented, and actively maintained

  • It provides a consistent and predictable API that makes it easy to use

  • It can be used to manipulate arrays, objects, and strings

  • It can be used to create and manipulate functions

  • It is commonly used in modern web applications to perform a wide range of tasks such as data manipulation, formatting, cleaning, creating and manipulating functions, and processing and manipulating collections of data.

Lodash is a powerful tool that can make web development more efficient and enjoyable. Its consistent and predictable API, a wide range of features, and active maintenance make it a reliable choice for web developers. With a basic understanding of JavaScript and web development, you can start using Lodash to improve your development experience.