What is Ext.namespace, how should we use them?

Question

I came across to Ext.namespace() in the project that I am working on.
I looked in Sencha's website and the explanation was not very helpful.

This is what they are saying:

Creates namespaces to be used for scoping variables and classes so that they are not global. Specifying the last node of a namespace implicitly creates all other nodes.

Ext.namespace('Company', 'Company.data');

They also mention that Ext.ns('Company.data') is preferable.

I apologize if this question seems simple or dumb, but I really want to completely understand this concept. Thanks in advance

This is what is not very clear to me:

• If I have Ext.namespace('Company', 'Company.data') at the top of my JS page, does this mean that it carries all the other function name and variables (like a global scope)?
• What exactly 'Company' and 'Company.data' stand for in Ext.namespace('Company', 'Company.data')?
• Why new convention Ext.ns('Company.data') does not have 'Company' like in Ext.namespace?
• What does this mean Specifying the last node of a namespace implicitly creates all other nodes?
• When exactly this idea should be used?

Answer 1

First off, this is what Ext.ns('Company.data') is roughly equivalent too:

if (!Company) var Company = {};
if (!Company.Data) Company.Data = {};

Basically, it is just a shortcut for defining deeply nested structures of objects. It is useful if your project structures this way; I've seen projects with a Java backend that duplicate the com.company.app.data.package package names in JavaScript, for which Ext.ns is a nice shortcut.

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Addressing your questions point by point:

• If I have Ext.namespace('Company', 'Company.data') at the top of my JS page, does this mean that it carries all the other function name and variables (like a global scope)?

No. You have to add to Company.Data, like Company.Data.newVal = 5;.

• What exactly 'Company' and 'Company.data' stand for in Ext.namespace('Company', 'Company.data')?

They are names, chosen by you, following your projects convention.

• Why new convention Ext.ns('Company.data') does not have 'Company' like in Ext.namespace?

Because 'Company' is implied. That is, Ext.ns('Company', 'Company.data') is like:

if (!Company) var Company = {};
if (!Company) var Company = {};
if (!Company.Data) Company.Data = {};

This makes it easier to see why the first 'Company' is redundant.

• What does this mean Specifying the last node of a namespace implicitly creates all other nodes?

• When exactly this idea should be used?

I answered these two above.

Answer 2

Ext.namespace is really only useful if you want to define your own classes without using Ext.define.

The example below requires the namespaces to be created ahead of time:

Company.data.Form = Ext.extend(...); //this is the old way of defining classes

The standard way for creating ExtJS classes is:

Ext.define('Comany.data.Form', {...});

This method creates the namespaces for you automatically.