How to set up JavaScript namespace and classes properly?

Question

It seems there are so many ways to set up a JavaScript application so it is confusing as to which one is correct or best. Are there any difference to the below techniques or a better way of doing this?

MyNamespace.MyClass = {
    someProperty: 5,
    anotherProperty: false,

    init: function () {
        //do initialization
    },

    someFunction: function () {
        //do something
    }
};

$(function () {
    MyNamespace.MyClass.init();
});

Another way:

MyNamespace.MyClass = (function () {
    var someProperty = 5;
    var anotherProperty = false;

    var init = function () {
        //do something
    };

    var someFunction = function () {
        //do something
    };

    return {
        someProperty: someProperty
        anotherProperty: anotherProperty
        init: init
        someFunction: someFunction
    };
}());

MyNamespace.MyClass.init();

The first technique feels more like a class. I am coming from server-side background if this makes a difference. The second technique seems more redundant and a bit awkward, but I see this used a lot too. Can someone please help shed some light and advise the best way to move forward? I want to create a application with lots of classes talking to each other.

Answer 1

Do neither of those things.

Make a javascript "class":

var MyClass = function () {

    var privateVar; //private
    var privateFn = function(){}; //private 

    this.someProperty = 5;  //public
    this.anotherProperty = false;  //public
    this.someFunction = function () {  //public
        //do something
    };

};

MyNamespace.MyClass = new MyClass();

---

One with static vars:

var MyClass = (function(){

    var static_var; //static private var

    var MyClass = function () {

        var privateVar; //private
        var privateFn = function(){}; //private 

        this.someProperty = 5;  //public
        this.anotherProperty = false;  //public
        this.someFunction = function () {  //public
            //do something
        };
    };

    return MyClass;

})();

MyNamespace.MyClass = new MyClass();

---

With a "constructor" (all of the examples have a "constructor", this one just has parameters to work with):

var MyClass = function (a, b c) {

    //DO SOMETHING WITH a, b, c <--

    var privateVar; //private
    var privateFn = function(){}; //private 

    this.someProperty = 5;  //public
    this.anotherProperty = false;  //public
    this.someFunction = function () {  //public
        //do something
    };

};

MyNamespace.MyClass = new MyClass(1, 3, 4);

---

With all of the above you can do:

MyNamespace.MyClass.someFunction();

But you cannot do (from the outside):

MyNamespace.MyClass.privateFn(); //ERROR!

Answer 2

The first example is simply an Object literal - it cannot be instantiated and doesn't have private members. The second example has some incorrect syntax (var someProperty: 5 should be var someProperty = 5) but is using a closure to encapsulate internal private state within a self-invoking anonymous function.

The second approach looks better for encapsulating private members, but could be made more "Object-oriented" by making it an instantiable class:

MyNamespace.MyClass = function() { ... };
MyNamespace.MyClass.prototype.someProperty = 'foo';

Then you can instantiate it with the 'new' keyword:

var aClass = new MyNamespace.MyClass();
aClass.init(...);

Answer 3

I use the following syntax for the instantiable classes with namespace

 var MYNamespace = MYNamespace|| {};

 MYNamespace.MyFirstClass = function (val) {
        this.value = val;
        this.getValue = function(){
                          return this.value;
                       };
    }

var myFirstInstance = new MYNamespace.MyFirstClass(46);
alert(myFirstInstance.getValue());

jsfiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/rpaul/4dngxwb3/1/