Require using arrow functions for callbacks (prefer-arrow-callback)

Arrow functions can be an attractive alternative to function expressions for callbacks or function arguments.

For example, arrow functions are automatically bound to their surrounding scope/context. This provides an alternative to the pre-ES6 standard of explicitly binding function expressions to achieve similar behavior.

Additionally, arrow functions are:

• less verbose, and easier to reason about.

• bound lexically regardless of where or when they are invoked.

Rule Details

This rule locates function expressions used as callbacks or function arguments. An error will be produced for any that could be replaced by an arrow function without changing the result.

The following examples will be flagged:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: "error" */

foo(function(a) { return a; }); // ERROR
// prefer: foo(a => a)

foo(function() { return this.a; }.bind(this)); // ERROR
// prefer: foo(() => this.a)

Instances where an arrow function would not produce identical results will be ignored.

The following examples will not be flagged:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: "error" */
/* eslint-env es6 */

// arrow function callback
foo(a => a); // OK

// generator as callback
foo(function*() { yield; }); // OK

// function expression not used as callback or function argument
var foo = function foo(a) { return a; }; // OK

// unbound function expression callback
foo(function() { return this.a; }); // OK

// recursive named function callback
foo(function bar(n) { return n && n + bar(n - 1); }); // OK

Options

Access further control over this rule's behavior via an options object.

Default: { allowNamedFunctions: false, allowUnboundThis: true }

allowNamedFunctions

By default { "allowNamedFunctions": false }, this boolean option prohibits using named functions as callbacks or function arguments.

Changing this value to true will reverse this option's behavior by allowing use of named functions without restriction.

{ "allowNamedFunctions": true } will not flag the following example:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: [ "error", { "allowNamedFunctions": true } ] */

foo(function bar() {});

allowUnboundThis

By default { "allowUnboundThis": true }, this boolean option allows function expressions containing this to be used as callbacks, as long as the function in question has not been explicitly bound.

When set to false this option prohibits the use of function expressions as callbacks or function arguments entirely, without exception.

{ "allowUnboundThis": false } will flag the following examples:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: [ "error", { "allowUnboundThis": false } ] */
/* eslint-env es6 */

foo(function() { this.a; });

foo(function() { (() => this); });

someArray.map(function(itm) { return this.doSomething(itm); }, someObject);

When Not To Use It

• In environments that have not yet adopted ES6 language features (ES3/5).

• In ES6+ environments that allow the use of function expressions when describing callbacks or function arguments.

Further Reading

• More on ES6 arrow functions Source: http://eslint.org/docs/rules/

Require Object Literal Shorthand Syntax (object-shorthand)

ECMAScript 6 provides a concise form for defining object literal methods and properties. This syntax can make defining complex object literals much cleaner.

Here are a few common examples using the ES5 syntax:

// properties
var foo = {
    x: x,
    y: y,
    z: z,
};

// methods
var foo = {
    a: function() {},
    b: function() {}
};

Now here are ES6 equivalents:

/*eslint-env es6*/

// properties
var foo = {x, y, z};

// methods
var foo = {
    a() {},
    b() {}
};

Rule Details

This rule enforces the use of the shorthand syntax. This applies to all methods (including generators) defined in object literals and any properties defined where the key name matches name of the assigned variable.

Each of the following properties would warn:

/*eslint object-shorthand: "error"*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    w: function() {},
    x: function *() {},
    [y]: function() {},
    z: z
};

In that case the expected syntax would have been:

/*eslint object-shorthand: "error"*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    w() {},
    *x() {},
    [y]() {},
    z
};

This rule does not flag arrow functions inside of object literals. The following will not warn:

/*eslint object-shorthand: "error"*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    x: (y) => y
};

See Also:

• no-useless-rename which disallows renaming import, export, and destructured assignments to the same name.

Options

The rule takes an option which specifies when it should be applied. It can be set to one of the following values:

• "always" (default) expects that the shorthand will be used whenever possible.
• "methods" ensures the method shorthand is used (also applies to generators).
• "properties" ensures the property shorthand is used (where the key and variable name match).
• "never" ensures that no property or method shorthand is used in any object literal.
• "consistent" ensures that either all shorthand or all long-form will be used in an object literal.
• "consistent-as-needed" ensures that either all shorthand or all long-form will be used in an object literal, but ensures all shorthand whenever possible.

You can set the option in configuration like this:

{
    "object-shorthand": ["error", "always"]
}

Additionally, the rule takes an optional object configuration:

• "avoidQuotes": true indicates that long-form syntax is preferred whenever the object key is a string literal (default: false). Note that this option can only be enabled when the string option is set to "always", "methods", or "properties".
• "ignoreConstructors": true can be used to prevent the rule from reporting errors for constructor functions. (By default, the rule treats constructors the same way as other functions.) Note that this option can only be enabled when the string option is set to "always" or "methods".
• "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true indicates that methods are preferred over explicit-return arrow functions for function properties. (By default, the rule allows either of these.) Note that this option can only be enabled when the string option is set to "always" or "methods".

avoidQuotes

{
    "object-shorthand": ["error", "always", { "avoidQuotes": true }]
}

Example of incorrect code for this rule with the "always", { "avoidQuotes": true } option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: ["error", "always", { "avoidQuotes": true }]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    "bar-baz"() {}
};

Example of correct code for this rule with the "always", { "avoidQuotes": true } option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: ["error", "always", { "avoidQuotes": true }]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    "bar-baz": function() {},
    "qux": qux
};

ignoreConstructors

{
    "object-shorthand": ["error", "always", { "ignoreConstructors": true }]
}

Example of correct code for this rule with the "always", { "ignoreConstructors": true } option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: ["error", "always", { "ignoreConstructors": true }]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    ConstructorFunction: function() {}
};

avoidExplicitReturnArrows

{
    "object-shorthand": ["error", "always", { "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true }]
}

Example of incorrect code for this rule with the "always", { "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true } option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: ["error", "always", { "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true }]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
  foo: (bar, baz) => {
    return bar + baz;
  },

  qux: (foobar) => {
    return foobar * 2;
  }
};

Example of correct code for this rule with the "always", { "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true } option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: ["error", "always", { "avoidExplicitReturnArrows": true }]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
  foo(bar, baz) {
    return bar + baz;
  },

  qux: foobar => foobar * 2
};

Example of incorrect code for this rule with the "consistent" option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: [2, "consistent"]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    a,
    b: "foo",
};

Examples of correct code for this rule with the "consistent" option:

/*eslint object-shorthand: [2, "consistent"]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    a: a,
    b: "foo"
};

var bar = {
    a,
    b,
};

Example of incorrect code with the "consistent-as-needed" option, which is very similar to "consistent":

/*eslint object-shorthand: [2, "consistent-as-needed"]*/
/*eslint-env es6*/

var foo = {
    a: a,
    b: b,
};

When Not To Use It

Anyone not yet in an ES6 environment would not want to apply this rule. Others may find the terseness of the shorthand syntax harder to read and may not want to encourage it with this rule.

Further Reading

Object initializer - MDN Source: http://eslint.org/docs/rules/

Require using arrow functions for callbacks (prefer-arrow-callback)

Arrow functions can be an attractive alternative to function expressions for callbacks or function arguments.

For example, arrow functions are automatically bound to their surrounding scope/context. This provides an alternative to the pre-ES6 standard of explicitly binding function expressions to achieve similar behavior.

Additionally, arrow functions are:

• less verbose, and easier to reason about.

• bound lexically regardless of where or when they are invoked.

Rule Details

This rule locates function expressions used as callbacks or function arguments. An error will be produced for any that could be replaced by an arrow function without changing the result.

The following examples will be flagged:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: "error" */

foo(function(a) { return a; }); // ERROR
// prefer: foo(a => a)

foo(function() { return this.a; }.bind(this)); // ERROR
// prefer: foo(() => this.a)

Instances where an arrow function would not produce identical results will be ignored.

The following examples will not be flagged:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: "error" */
/* eslint-env es6 */

// arrow function callback
foo(a => a); // OK

// generator as callback
foo(function*() { yield; }); // OK

// function expression not used as callback or function argument
var foo = function foo(a) { return a; }; // OK

// unbound function expression callback
foo(function() { return this.a; }); // OK

// recursive named function callback
foo(function bar(n) { return n && n + bar(n - 1); }); // OK

Options

Access further control over this rule's behavior via an options object.

Default: { allowNamedFunctions: false, allowUnboundThis: true }

allowNamedFunctions

By default { "allowNamedFunctions": false }, this boolean option prohibits using named functions as callbacks or function arguments.

Changing this value to true will reverse this option's behavior by allowing use of named functions without restriction.

{ "allowNamedFunctions": true } will not flag the following example:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: [ "error", { "allowNamedFunctions": true } ] */

foo(function bar() {});

allowUnboundThis

By default { "allowUnboundThis": true }, this boolean option allows function expressions containing this to be used as callbacks, as long as the function in question has not been explicitly bound.

When set to false this option prohibits the use of function expressions as callbacks or function arguments entirely, without exception.

{ "allowUnboundThis": false } will flag the following examples:

/* eslint prefer-arrow-callback: [ "error", { "allowUnboundThis": false } ] */
/* eslint-env es6 */

foo(function() { this.a; });

foo(function() { (() => this); });

someArray.map(function(itm) { return this.doSomething(itm); }, someObject);

When Not To Use It

• In environments that have not yet adopted ES6 language features (ES3/5).

• In ES6+ environments that allow the use of function expressions when describing callbacks or function arguments.

Further Reading

• More on ES6 arrow functions Source: http://eslint.org/docs/rules/