JavaScript: Object Literal Expression

The most useful and simple way to create a object is using the literal expression {…}.

{k1:v1,k2:v2 …} → returns a new object with properties key k1 value v1, etc.

// create object with 2 properties
var o2 = {"aa":7, "bb":8};
console.log( o2 ); // { aa: 7, bb: 8}

// property key is converted to string if not string
var o2 = {aa:7};
console.log( o2 ); // { aa: 7}
// property key can only be type string or type symbol (ES6)

Object Literal Expression vs Object.Create

{k1:v1 …}

is equivalent to

Object.create(Object.prototype,{k1:{value:v1, enumerable: true, configurable: true, writable: true},…})

〔►see JavaScript: Object.create〕

// check equivalence of 2 ways to create a object

var o1 = {"p":1};

var o2 = Object.create(
    Object.prototype,
    { "p":
      {value:1, enumerable: true, configurable: true, writable: true}
    }
);

console.log( Object.getPrototypeOf(o1) === Object.getPrototypeOf(o2) ); // true

console.log( Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(o1, "p") );
// { value: 1, writable: true, enumerable: true, configurable: true }

console.log( Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(o2, "p") );
// { value: 1, writable: true, enumerable: true, configurable: true }

console.log ( Object.isExtensible ( o1 ) ); // true
console.log ( Object.isExtensible ( o2 ) ); // true

Prototype of Object Literal Expression

The parent of object created using {…} is Object.prototype.

〔►see JavaScript: Prototype and Inheritance〕

〔►see JavaScript: Object.prototype〕

Object Literal Expression Extensions

〔►see JavaScript: ES2015 Object Literal Expression Extensions〕