Invoke and define JavaScript function in same statement

Question

Is this the correct way:

(function() { 
   // do something here
}()); 

Or this way:

(function() { 
       // do something here
    })(); 

Answer 1

It's only a difference in style, both are "correct." I prefer the second and would venture that it's more popular, some prefer the first.

What you can't do is simply

function() {
    // ...this example is wrong and won't work
}();

You need the parentheses in order to put the parser in the right mode that you're doing a function expression rather than a function declaration, but it doesn't matter whether the invoking parens at the end are within the main parens or outside them. You can try it with this live copy with the JavaScript engines in your favorite browsers...