JavaScript function to loop in a loop iterator issue?

JavaScript function to loop in a loop iterator issue? - javascript

This is my code:
function func(){
for(i=0; i < 5; i++){
alert('g');
}
}
for(i=0; i < 5; i++){
func();
alert('h');
}
What I expected was: gggghgggghgggghgggghggggh
but what received was just ggggh
I found out that's because there is function scope, not block scope in JS. What I'd like to know is how to preserve such a behavior. I mean to force something like block scope. Otherwise it's very easy to make really nasty bugs - e.g. while using a function somebody else wrote or the one you wrote yourself, but a few months earlier.

This actually doesn't have to do with function vs. block scope - it has to do with implicit global variables.
The short story: You are accidentally creating a global variable in your for loop - if you use for(var i=0; rather than for(i=0; you'll get the expected results.
The slightly longer version:
alert("typeof i: " + typeof i);
// Alerts "typeof i: undefined"
function func() {
// References the *global* variable `i`
for(i=0; i < 5; i++){
alert('g');
}
}
// Creates a *global* variable `i` and sets it to 0
for(i=0; i < 5; i++) {
alert("i at start of iteration: " + i);
// Alerts "i at start of iteration: 0"
func();
// `func` has just altered *global* state - here's the proof
alert("i after call to func: " + i);
// Alerts "i at start of iteration: 5"
alert('h');
}
alert("typeof i: " + typeof i);
// Alerts "typeof i: number
// `i` is now in the global scope.
// Left as an exercise for the reader:
// try it again with `var i=0;` in both of the `for` loops.

Issue with variable i's scope.
function func(){
for(var i=0; i < 5; i++){
alert('g');
}
}
for(var i=0; i < 5; i++){
func();
alert('h');
}

Try declaring i as a local variable in your function:
function func(){
var i;
for(i=0; i < 5; i++){
alert('g');
}
}

As already stated in other answers, your code doesn't work because you don't declare the i variable with var, which automatically makes it global. So not really a function versus block scope issue. If you use var to declare your variable(s) then the scope of the variable(s) will be limited to the same function where the declaration is including within any nested functions, or global if not in a function.
If you use the same variable name in nested functions then the one in the inner scope is said to "shadow" the outer one; the inner function can't access the outer function's variable of that name in that case since using that name will only give it its own variable. So to speak. Though you can access global variables by treating them as properties of the window object.
"What I'd like to know is how to preserve such a behavior. I mean to force something like block scope. Otherwise it's very easy to make really nasty bugs..."
Well no, once you start using var correctly it isn't difficult to avoid those bugs. But you can force block scope by introducing an immediately invoked anonymous function:
(function() {
// variables created in this function are accessible
// only within this function
var x, y, z;
})();
console.log(typeof x); // "undefined" (x can't be seen from outside the function)
The parentheses around function(){} are required so that the function is interpreted as an expression and not a function statement; the extra () at the end is to cause that function expression to be executed immediately. A common use for this structure is to enclose an entire script in it so that no variables or functions in it become global and thus don't interact with other scripts loaded from other JS include files. (You can have pseudo-global variables within the block shared between several functions also declared within the block.)
So for example if you wanted to make the body of a for statement into a "block" with scope you could do this:
for (var i = 0; i < something; i++) {
(function() {
var x = i;
// do something with x
})();
}

Related

what's the benefit of using 'let' in for loop instead of 'var' [duplicate]

ECMAScript 6 introduced the let statement.
I've heard that it's described as a local variable, but I'm still not quite sure how it behaves differently than the var keyword.
What are the differences? When should let be used instead of var?

Scoping rules
The main difference is scoping rules. Variables declared by var keyword are scoped to the immediate function body (hence the function scope) while let variables are scoped to the immediate enclosing block denoted by { } (hence the block scope).
function run() {
var foo = "Foo";
let bar = "Bar";
console.log(foo, bar); // Foo Bar
{
var moo = "Mooo"
let baz = "Bazz";
console.log(moo, baz); // Mooo Bazz
}
console.log(moo); // Mooo
console.log(baz); // ReferenceError
}
run();
The reason why let keyword was introduced to the language was function scope is confusing and was one of the main sources of bugs in JavaScript.
Take a look at this example from another Stack Overflow question:
var funcs = [];
// let's create 3 functions
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
// and store them in funcs
funcs[i] = function() {
// each should log its value.
console.log("My value: " + i);
};
}
for (var j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
// and now let's run each one to see
funcs[j]();
}
My value: 3 was output to console each time funcs[j](); was invoked since anonymous functions were bound to the same variable.
People had to create immediately invoked functions to capture correct values from the loops but that was also hairy.
Hoisting
While variables declared with var keyword are hoisted (initialized with undefined before the code is run) which means they are accessible in their enclosing scope even before they are declared:
function run() {
console.log(foo); // undefined
var foo = "Foo";
console.log(foo); // Foo
}
run();
let variables are not initialized until their definition is evaluated. Accessing them before the initialization results in a ReferenceError. The variable is said to be in "temporal dead zone" from the start of the block until the initialization is processed.
function checkHoisting() {
console.log(foo); // ReferenceError
let foo = "Foo";
console.log(foo); // Foo
}
checkHoisting();
Creating global object property
At the top level, let, unlike var, does not create a property on the global object:
var foo = "Foo"; // globally scoped
let bar = "Bar"; // not allowed to be globally scoped
console.log(window.foo); // Foo
console.log(window.bar); // undefined
Redeclaration
In strict mode, var will let you re-declare the same variable in the same scope while let raises a SyntaxError.
'use strict';
var foo = "foo1";
var foo = "foo2"; // No problem, 'foo1' is replaced with 'foo2'.
let bar = "bar1";
let bar = "bar2"; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'bar' has already been declared

let can also be used to avoid problems with closures. It binds fresh value rather than keeping an old reference as shown in examples below.
for(var i=1; i<6; i++) {
$("#div" + i).click(function () { console.log(i); });
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Clicking on each number will log to console:</p>
<div id="div1">1</div>
<div id="div2">2</div>
<div id="div3">3</div>
<div id="div4">4</div>
<div id="div5">5</div>
Code above demonstrates a classic JavaScript closure problem. Reference to the i variable is being stored in the click handler closure, rather than the actual value of i.
Every single click handler will refer to the same object because there’s only one counter object which holds 6 so you get six on each click.
A general workaround is to wrap this in an anonymous function and pass i as an argument. Such issues can also be avoided now by using let instead var as shown in the code below.
(Tested in Chrome and Firefox 50)
for(let i=1; i<6; i++) {
$("#div" + i).click(function () { console.log(i); });
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Clicking on each number will log to console:</p>
<div id="div1">1</div>
<div id="div2">2</div>
<div id="div3">3</div>
<div id="div4">4</div>
<div id="div5">5</div>

What's the difference between let and var?
A variable defined using a var statement is known throughout the function it is defined in, from the start of the function. (*)
A variable defined using a let statement is only known in the block it is defined in, from the moment it is defined onward. (**)
To understand the difference, consider the following code:
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but undefined
// l IS NOT known here
function loop(arr) {
// i IS known here, but undefined
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
for( var i = 0; i < arr.length; i++ ) {
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
};
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
for( let j = 0; j < arr.length; j++ ) {
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS known here, and has a value
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
};
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
}
loop([1,2,3,4]);
for( var k = 0; k < arr.length; k++ ) {
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS NOT known here
};
for( let l = 0; l < arr.length; l++ ) {
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS known here, and has a value
};
loop([1,2,3,4]);
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS NOT known here
Here, we can see that our variable j is only known in the first for loop, but not before and after. Yet, our variable i is known in the entire function.
Also, consider that block scoped variables are not known before they are declared because they are not hoisted. You're also not allowed to redeclare the same block scoped variable within the same block. This makes block scoped variables less error prone than globally or functionally scoped variables, which are hoisted and which do not produce any errors in case of multiple declarations.
Is it safe to use let today?
Some people would argue that in the future we'll ONLY use let statements and that var statements will become obsolete. JavaScript guru Kyle Simpson wrote a very elaborate article on why he believes that won't be the case.
Today, however, that is definitely not the case. In fact, we need actually to ask ourselves whether it's safe to use the let statement. The answer to that question depends on your environment:
If you're writing server-side JavaScript code (Node.js), you can safely use the let statement.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and use a browser based transpiler (like Traceur or babel-standalone), you can safely use the let statement, however your code is likely to be anything but optimal with respect to performance.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and use a Node based transpiler (like the traceur shell script or Babel), you can safely use the let statement. And, because your browser will only know about the transpiled code, performance drawbacks should be limited.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and don't use a transpiler, you need to consider browser support.
There are still some browsers that don't support let at all :
How to keep track of browser support
For an up-to-date overview of which browsers support the let statement at the time of your reading this answer, see this Can I Use page.
(*) Globally and functionally scoped variables can be initialized and used before they are declared because JavaScript variables are hoisted. This means that declarations are always moved to the top of the scope.
(**) Block scoped variables are not hoisted

Here's an explanation of the let keyword with some examples.
let works very much like var. The main difference is that the scope of a var variable is the entire enclosing function
This table on Wikipedia shows which browsers support Javascript 1.7.
Note that only Mozilla and Chrome browsers support it. IE, Safari, and potentially others don't.

let
Block scope
Variables declared using the let keyword are block-scoped, which means that they are available only in the block in which they were declared.
At the top level (outside of a function)
At the top level, variables declared using let don't create properties on the global object.
var globalVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
console.log(this.globalVariable); // 42
console.log(this.blockScopedVariable); // undefined
Inside a function
Inside a function (but outside of a block), let has the same scope as var.
(() => {
var functionScopedVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(functionScopedVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
})();
console.log(functionScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: functionScopedVariable is not defined
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: blockScopedVariable is not defined
Inside a block
Variables declared using let inside a block can't be accessed outside that block.
{
var globalVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
}
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: blockScopedVariable is not defined
Inside a loop
Variables declared with let in loops can be referenced only inside that loop.
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
var j = i * 2;
}
console.log(i); // 3
console.log(j); // 4
for (let k = 0; k < 3; k++) {
let l = k * 2;
}
console.log(typeof k); // undefined
console.log(typeof l); // undefined
// Trying to do console.log(k) or console.log(l) here would throw a ReferenceError.
Loops with closures
If you use let instead of var in a loop, with each iteration you get a new variable. That means that you can safely use a closure inside a loop.
// Logs 3 thrice, not what we meant.
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
setTimeout(() => console.log(i), 0);
}
// Logs 0, 1 and 2, as expected.
for (let j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
setTimeout(() => console.log(j), 0);
}
Temporal dead zone
Because of the temporal dead zone, variables declared using let can't be accessed before they are declared. Attempting to do so throws an error.
console.log(noTDZ); // undefined
var noTDZ = 43;
console.log(hasTDZ); // ReferenceError: hasTDZ is not defined
let hasTDZ = 42;
No re-declaring
You can't declare the same variable multiple times using let. You also can't declare a variable using let with the same identifier as another variable which was declared using var.
var a;
var a; // Works fine.
let b;
let b; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'b' has already been declared
var c;
let c; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'c' has already been declared
const
const is quite similar to let—it's block-scoped and has TDZ. There are, however, two things which are different.
No re-assigning
Variable declared using const can't be re-assigned.
const a = 42;
a = 43; // TypeError: Assignment to constant variable.
Note that it doesn't mean that the value is immutable. Its properties still can be changed.
const obj = {};
obj.a = 42;
console.log(obj.a); // 42
If you want to have an immutable object, you should use Object.freeze().
const obj = Object.freeze({a: 40});
obj.a = 42;
console.log(obj.a); // 40
console.log(obj.b); // undefined
Initializer is required
You always must specify a value when declaring a variable using const.
const a; // SyntaxError: Missing initializer in const declaration

The accepted answer is missing a point:
{
let a = 123;
};
console.log(a); // ReferenceError: a is not defined

In most basic terms,
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
// i accessible ✔️
}
// i not accessible ❌
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
// i accessible ✔️
}
// i accessible ✔️
⚡️ Sandbox to play around ↓

The main difference is the scope difference, while let can be only available inside the scope it's declared, like in for loop, var can be accessed outside the loop for example. From the documentation in MDN (examples also from MDN):
let allows you to declare variables that are limited in scope to the block, statement, or expression on which it is used. This is unlike the var keyword, which defines a variable globally, or locally to an entire function regardless of block scope.
Variables declared by let have as their scope the block in which they are defined, as well as in any contained sub-blocks. In this way, let works very much like var. The main difference is that the scope of a var variable is the entire enclosing function:
function varTest() {
var x = 1;
if (true) {
var x = 2; // same variable!
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 2
}
function letTest() {
let x = 1;
if (true) {
let x = 2; // different variable
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 1
}`
At the top level of programs and functions, let, unlike var, does not create a property on the global object. For example:
var x = 'global';
let y = 'global';
console.log(this.x); // "global"
console.log(this.y); // undefined
When used inside a block, let limits the variable's scope to that block. Note the difference between var whose scope is inside the function where it is declared.
var a = 1;
var b = 2;
if (a === 1) {
var a = 11; // the scope is global
let b = 22; // the scope is inside the if-block
console.log(a); // 11
console.log(b); // 22
}
console.log(a); // 11
console.log(b); // 2
Also don't forget it's ECMA6 feature, so it's not fully supported yet, so it's better always transpiles it to ECMA5 using Babel etc... for more info about visit babel website

Here is an example of the difference between the two:
As you can see, the var j variable still has a value outside the for loop scope (Block Scope), but the let i variable is undefined outside of the for loop scope.
"use strict";
console.log("var:");
for (var j = 0; j < 2; j++) {
console.log(j);
}
console.log(j);
console.log("let:");
for (let i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
console.log(i);
}
console.log(i);

There are some subtle differences — let scoping behaves more like variable scoping does in more or less any other languages.
e.g. It scopes to the enclosing block, They don't exist before they're declared, etc.
However it's worth noting that let is only a part of newer Javascript implementations and has varying degrees of browser support.

Variable Not Hoisting
let will not hoist to the entire scope of the block they appear in. By contrast, var could hoist as below.
{
console.log(cc); // undefined. Caused by hoisting
var cc = 23;
}
{
console.log(bb); // ReferenceError: bb is not defined
let bb = 23;
}
Actually, Per #Bergi, Both var and let are hoisted.
Garbage Collection
Block scope of let is useful relates to closures and garbage collection to reclaim memory. Consider,
function process(data) {
//...
}
var hugeData = { .. };
process(hugeData);
var btn = document.getElementById("mybutton");
btn.addEventListener( "click", function click(evt){
//....
});
The click handler callback does not need the hugeData variable at all. Theoretically, after process(..) runs, the huge data structure hugeData could be garbage collected. However, it's possible that some JS engine will still have to keep this huge structure, since the click function has a closure over the entire scope.
However, the block scope can make this huge data structure to garbage collected.
function process(data) {
//...
}
{ // anything declared inside this block can be garbage collected
let hugeData = { .. };
process(hugeData);
}
var btn = document.getElementById("mybutton");
btn.addEventListener( "click", function click(evt){
//....
});
let loops
let in the loop can re-binds it to each iteration of the loop, making sure to re-assign it the value from the end of the previous loop iteration. Consider,
// print '5' 5 times
for (var i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
setTimeout(function () {
console.log(i);
}, 1000);
}
However, replace var with let
// print 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. now
for (let i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
setTimeout(function () {
console.log(i);
}, 1000);
}
Because let create a new lexical environment with those names for a) the initialiser expression b) each iteration (previosly to evaluating the increment expression), more details are here.

The difference is in the scope of the variables declared with each.
In practice, there are a number of useful consequences of the difference in scope:
let variables are only visible in their nearest enclosing block ({ ... }).
let variables are only usable in lines of code that occur after the variable is declared (even though they are hoisted!).
let variables may not be redeclared by a subsequent var or let.
Global let variables are not added to the global window object.
let variables are easy to use with closures (they do not cause race conditions).
The restrictions imposed by let reduce the visibility of the variables and increase the likelihood that unexpected name collisions will be found early. This makes it easier to track and reason about variables, including their reachability(helping with reclaiming unused memory).
Consequently, let variables are less likely to cause problems when used in large programs or when independently-developed frameworks are combined in new and unexpected ways.
var may still be useful if you are sure you want the single-binding effect when using a closure in a loop (#5) or for declaring externally-visible global variables in your code (#4). Use of var for exports may be supplanted if export migrates out of transpiler space and into the core language.
Examples
1. No use outside nearest enclosing block:
This block of code will throw a reference error because the second use of x occurs outside of the block where it is declared with let:
{
let x = 1;
}
console.log(`x is ${x}`); // ReferenceError during parsing: "x is not defined".
In contrast, the same example with var works.
2. No use before declaration:
This block of code will throw a ReferenceError before the code can be run because x is used before it is declared:
{
x = x + 1; // ReferenceError during parsing: "x is not defined".
let x;
console.log(`x is ${x}`); // Never runs.
}
In contrast, the same example with var parses and runs without throwing any exceptions.
3. No redeclaration:
The following code demonstrates that a variable declared with let may not be redeclared later:
let x = 1;
let x = 2; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'x' has already been declared
4. Globals not attached to window:
var button = "I cause accidents because my name is too common.";
let link = "Though my name is common, I am harder to access from other JS files.";
console.log(link); // OK
console.log(window.link); // undefined (GOOD!)
console.log(window.button); // OK
5. Easy use with closures:
Variables declared with var do not work well with closures inside loops. Here is a simple loop that outputs the sequence of values that the variable i has at different points in time:
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
Specifically, this outputs:
i is 0
i is 1
i is 2
i is 3
i is 4
In JavaScript we often use variables at a significantly later time than when they are created. When we demonstrate this by delaying the output with a closure passed to setTimeout:
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
setTimeout(_ => console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
... the output remains unchanged as long as we stick with let. In contrast, if we had used var i instead:
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
setTimeout(_ => console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
... the loop unexpectedly outputs "i is 5" five times:
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5

Here's an example to add on to what others have already written. Suppose you want to make an array of functions, adderFunctions, where each function takes a single Number argument and returns the sum of the argument and the function's index in the array. Trying to generate adderFunctions with a loop using the var keyword won't work the way someone might naïvely expect:
// An array of adder functions.
var adderFunctions = [];
for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
// We want the function at index i to add the index to its argument.
adderFunctions[i] = function(x) {
// What is i bound to here?
return x + i;
};
}
var add12 = adderFunctions[12];
// Uh oh. The function is bound to i in the outer scope, which is currently 1000.
console.log(add12(8) === 20); // => false
console.log(add12(8) === 1008); // => true
console.log(i); // => 1000
// It gets worse.
i = -8;
console.log(add12(8) === 0); // => true
The process above doesn't generate the desired array of functions because i's scope extends beyond the iteration of the for block in which each function was created. Instead, at the end of the loop, the i in each function's closure refers to i's value at the end of the loop (1000) for every anonymous function in adderFunctions. This isn't what we wanted at all: we now have an array of 1000 different functions in memory with exactly the same behavior. And if we subsequently update the value of i, the mutation will affect all the adderFunctions.
However, we can try again using the let keyword:
// Let's try this again.
// NOTE: We're using another ES6 keyword, const, for values that won't
// be reassigned. const and let have similar scoping behavior.
const adderFunctions = [];
for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
// NOTE: We're using the newer arrow function syntax this time, but
// using the "function(x) { ..." syntax from the previous example
// here would not change the behavior shown.
adderFunctions[i] = x => x + i;
}
const add12 = adderFunctions[12];
// Yay! The behavior is as expected.
console.log(add12(8) === 20); // => true
// i's scope doesn't extend outside the for loop.
console.log(i); // => ReferenceError: i is not defined
This time, i is rebound on each iteration of the for loop. Each function now keeps the value of i at the time of the function's creation, and adderFunctions behaves as expected.
Now, image mixing the two behaviors and you'll probably see why it's not recommended to mix the newer let and const with the older var in the same script. Doing so can result is some spectacularly confusing code.
const doubleAdderFunctions = [];
for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
const j = i;
doubleAdderFunctions[i] = x => x + i + j;
}
const add18 = doubleAdderFunctions[9];
const add24 = doubleAdderFunctions[12];
// It's not fun debugging situations like this, especially when the
// code is more complex than in this example.
console.log(add18(24) === 42); // => false
console.log(add24(18) === 42); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === add24(18)); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === 2018); // => false
console.log(add24(18) === 2018); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === 1033); // => true
console.log(add24(18) === 1030); // => true
Don't let this happen to you. Use a linter.
NOTE: This is a teaching example intended to demonstrate the var/let behavior in loops and with function closures that would also be easy to understand. This would be a terrible way to add numbers. But the general technique of capturing data in anonymous function closures might be encountered in the real world in other contexts. YMMV.

May the following two functions show the difference:
function varTest() {
var x = 31;
if (true) {
var x = 71; // Same variable!
console.log(x); // 71
}
console.log(x); // 71
}
function letTest() {
let x = 31;
if (true) {
let x = 71; // Different variable
console.log(x); // 71
}
console.log(x); // 31
}

ES6 introduced two new keyword(let and const) alternate to var.
When you need a block level deceleration you can go with let and const instead of var.
The below table summarize the difference between var, let and const

Function VS block scope:
The main difference between var and let is that variables declared with var are function scoped. Whereas functions declared with let are block scoped. For example:
function testVar () {
if(true) {
var foo = 'foo';
}
console.log(foo);
}
testVar();
// logs 'foo'
function testLet () {
if(true) {
let bar = 'bar';
}
console.log(bar);
}
testLet();
// reference error
// bar is scoped to the block of the if statement
variables with var:
When the first function testVar gets called the variable foo, declared with var, is still accessible outside the if statement. This variable foo would be available everywhere within the scope of the testVar function.
variables with let:
When the second function testLet gets called the variable bar, declared with let, is only accessible inside the if statement. Because variables declared with let are block scoped (where a block is the code between curly brackets e.g if{} , for{}, function{}).
let variables don't get hoisted:
Another difference between var and let is variables with declared with let don't get hoisted. An example is the best way to illustrate this behavior:
variables with let don't get hoisted:
console.log(letVar);
let letVar = 10;
// referenceError, the variable doesn't get hoisted
variables with var do get hoisted:
console.log(varVar);
var varVar = 10;
// logs undefined, the variable gets hoisted
Global let doesn't get attached to window:
A variable declared with let in the global scope (which is code that is not in a function) doesn't get added as a property on the global window object. For example (this code is in global scope):
var bar = 5;
let foo = 10;
console.log(bar); // logs 5
console.log(foo); // logs 10
console.log(window.bar);
// logs 5, variable added to window object
console.log(window.foo);
// logs undefined, variable not added to window object
When should let be used over var?
Use let over var whenever you can because it is simply scoped more specific. This reduces potential naming conflicts which can occur when dealing with a large number of variables. var can be used when you want a global variable explicitly to be on the window object (always consider carefully if this is really necessary).

let is interesting, because it allows us to do something like this:
(() => {
var count = 0;
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
console.log(count++);
}
}
}
})();
Which results in counting [0, 7].
Whereas
(() => {
var count = 0;
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
console.log(count++);
}
}
}
})();
Only counts [0, 1].

This explanation is taken from an article I wrote at Medium:
Hoisting is a JavaScript mechanism where variables and function
declarations are moved to the top of their scope by the parser which
reads the source code into an intermediate representation before the
actual code execution starts by the JavaScript interpreter. So, it actually
doesn’t matter where variables or functions are declared, they will be
moved to the top of their scope regardless of whether their scope is
global or local. This means that
console.log (hi);
var hi = "say hi";
is actually interpreted to
var hi = undefined;
console.log (hi);
hi = "say hi";
So, as we saw just now, var variables are being hoisted to the top
of their scope and are being initialized with the value of undefined
which means that we can actually assign their value before actually
declaring them in the code like so:
hi = “say hi”
console.log (hi); // say hi
var hi;
Regarding function declarations, we can invoke them before actually declaring them like so:
sayHi(); // Hi
function sayHi() {
console.log('Hi');
};
Function expressions, on the other hand, are not hoisted, so we’ll get the following error:
sayHi(); //Output: "TypeError: sayHi is not a function
var sayHi = function() {
console.log('Hi');
};
ES6 introduced JavaScript developers the let and const keywords. While let and const are block-scoped and not function
scoped as var it shouldn’t make a difference while discussing their
hoisting behavior. We’ll start from the end, JavaScript hoists let
and const.
console.log(hi); // Output: Cannot access 'hi' before initialization
let hi = 'Hi';
As we can see above, let doesn’t allow us to use undeclared
variables, hence the interpreter explicitly output a reference error
indicating that the hi variable cannot be accessed before
initialization. The same error will occur if we change the above let
to const
console.log(hi); // Output: Cannot access 'hi' before initialization
const hi = 'Hi';
So, bottom line, the JavaScript parser searches for variable
declarations and functions and hoists them to the top of their scope
before code execution and assign values to them in the memory so in
case the interpreter will encounter them while executing the code he
will recognize them and will be able to execute the code with their
assigned values. Variables declared with let or const remain
uninitialized at the beginning of execution while that variables
declared with var are being initialized with a value of undefined.
I added this visual illustration to better help understanding of how are the hoisted
variables and function are being saved in the memory

It also appears that, at least in Visual Studio 2015, TypeScript 1.5, "var" allows multiple declarations of the same variable name in a block, and "let" doesn't.
This won't generate a compile error:
var x = 1;
var x = 2;
This will:
let x = 1;
let x = 2;

var --> Function scope
let --> Block scope
const --> Block scope
var
In this code sample, variable i is declared using var. Therefore, it has a function scope. It means you can access i from only inside the function x. You can't read it from outside the function x
function x(){
var i = 100;
console.log(i); // 100
}
console.log(i); // Error. You can't do this
x();
In this sample, you can see i is declared inside a if block. But it's declared using var. Therefore, it gets function scope. It means still you can access variable i inside function x. Because var always get scoped to functions. Even though variable i is declared inside if block, because of it's using var it get scoped to parent function x.
function x(){
if(true){
var i = 100;
}
console.log(i);
}
x();
Now variable i is declared inside the function y. Therefore, i scoped to function y. You can access i inside function y. But not from outside function y.
function x(){
function y(){
var i = 100;
console.log(i);
}
y();
}
x();
function x(){
function y(){
var i = 100;
}
console.log(i); // ERROR
}
x();
let, const
let and const has block scope.
const and let behave same. But the difference is, when you assign value to const you can't re-assign. But you can re-assign values with let.
In this example, variable i is declared inside an if block. So it can be only accessed from inside that if block. We can't access it from outside that if block. (here const work same as let)
if(true){
let i = 100;
console.log(i); // Output: 100
}
console.log(i); // Error
function x(){
if(true){
let i = 100;
console.log(i); // Output: 100
}
console.log(i); // Error
}
x();
Another difference with (let, const) vs var is you can access var defined variable before declaring it. It will give you undefined. But if you do that with let or const defined variable it will give you an error.
console.log(x);
var x = 100;
console.log(x); // ERROR
let x = 100;

var is global scope (hoist-able) variable.
let and const is block scope.
test.js
{
let l = 'let';
const c = 'const';
var v = 'var';
v2 = 'var 2';
}
console.log(v, this.v);
console.log(v2, this.v2);
console.log(l); // ReferenceError: l is not defined
console.log(c); // ReferenceError: c is not defined

If I read the specs right then let thankfully can also be leveraged to avoid self invoking functions used to simulate private only members - a popular design pattern that decreases code readability, complicates debugging, that adds no real code protection or other benefit - except maybe satisfying someone's desire for semantics, so stop using it. /rant
var SomeConstructor;
{
let privateScope = {};
SomeConstructor = function SomeConstructor () {
this.someProperty = "foo";
privateScope.hiddenProperty = "bar";
}
SomeConstructor.prototype.showPublic = function () {
console.log(this.someProperty); // foo
}
SomeConstructor.prototype.showPrivate = function () {
console.log(privateScope.hiddenProperty); // bar
}
}
var myInstance = new SomeConstructor();
myInstance.showPublic();
myInstance.showPrivate();
console.log(privateScope.hiddenProperty); // error
See 'Emulating private interfaces'

When Using let
The let keyword attaches the variable declaration to the scope of whatever block (commonly a { .. } pair) it's contained in. In other words,let implicitly hijacks any block's scope for its variable declaration.
let variables cannot be accessed in the window object because they cannot be globally accessed.
function a(){
{ // this is the Max Scope for let variable
let x = 12;
}
console.log(x);
}
a(); // Uncaught ReferenceError: x is not defined
When Using var
var and variables in ES5 has scopes in functions meaning the variables are valid within the function and not outside the function itself.
var variables can be accessed in the window object because they cannot be globally accessed.
function a(){ // this is the Max Scope for var variable
{
var x = 12;
}
console.log(x);
}
a(); // 12
If you want to know more continue reading below
one of the most famous interview questions on scope also can suffice the exact use of let and var as below;
When using let
for (let i = 0; i < 10 ; i++) {
setTimeout(
function a() {
console.log(i); //print 0 to 9, that is literally AWW!!!
},
100 * i);
}
This is because when using let, for every loop iteration the variable is scoped and has its own copy.
When using var
for (var i = 0; i < 10 ; i++) {
setTimeout(
function a() {
console.log(i); //print 10 times 10
},
100 * i);
}
This is because when using var, for every loop iteration the variable is scoped and has shared copy.

Some hacks with let:
1.
let statistics = [16, 170, 10];
let [age, height, grade] = statistics;
console.log(height)
2.
let x = 120,
y = 12;
[x, y] = [y, x];
console.log(`x: ${x} y: ${y}`);
3.
let node = {
type: "Identifier",
name: "foo"
};
let { type, name, value } = node;
console.log(type); // "Identifier"
console.log(name); // "foo"
console.log(value); // undefined
let node = {
type: "Identifier"
};
let { type: localType, name: localName = "bar" } = node;
console.log(localType); // "Identifier"
console.log(localName); // "bar"
Getter and setter with let:
let jar = {
numberOfCookies: 10,
get cookies() {
return this.numberOfCookies;
},
set cookies(value) {
this.numberOfCookies = value;
}
};
console.log(jar.cookies)
jar.cookies = 7;
console.log(jar.cookies)

let vs var. It's all about scope.
var variables are global and can be accessed basically everywhere, while let variables are not global and only exist until a closing parenthesis kills them.
See my example below, and note how the lion (let) variable acts differently in the two console.logs; it becomes out of scope in the 2nd console.log.
var cat = "cat";
let dog = "dog";
var animals = () => {
var giraffe = "giraffe";
let lion = "lion";
console.log(cat); //will print 'cat'.
console.log(dog); //will print 'dog', because dog was declared outside this function (like var cat).
console.log(giraffe); //will print 'giraffe'.
console.log(lion); //will print 'lion', as lion is within scope.
}
console.log(giraffe); //will print 'giraffe', as giraffe is a global variable (var).
console.log(lion); //will print UNDEFINED, as lion is a 'let' variable and is now out of scope.

I just came across one use case that I had to use var over let to introduce new variable. Here's a case:
I want to create a new variable with dynamic variable names.
let variableName = 'a';
eval("let " + variableName + '= 10;');
console.log(a); // this doesn't work
var variableName = 'a';
eval("var " + variableName + '= 10;');
console.log(a); // this works
The above code doesn't work because eval introduces a new block of code. The declaration using var will declare a variable outside of this block of code since var declares a variable in the function scope.
let, on the other hand, declares a variable in a block scope. So, a variable will only be visible in eval block.

The below shows how 'let' and 'var' are different in the scope:
let gfoo = 123;
if (true) {
let gfoo = 456;
}
console.log(gfoo); // 123
var hfoo = 123;
if (true) {
var hfoo = 456;
}
console.log(hfoo); // 456
The gfoo, defined by let initially is in the global scope, and when we declare gfoo again inside the if clause its scope changed and when a new value is assigned to the variable inside that scope it does not affect the global scope.
Whereas hfoo, defined by var is initially in the global scope, but again when we declare it inside the if clause, it considers the global scope hfoo, although var has been used again to declare it. And when we re-assign its value we see that the global scope hfoo is also affected. This is the primary difference.

let is a part of es6. These functions will explain the difference in easy way.
function varTest() {
var x = 1;
if (true) {
var x = 2; // same variable!
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 2
}
function letTest() {
let x = 1;
if (true) {
let x = 2; // different variable
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 1
}

As mentioned above:
The difference is scoping. var is scoped to the nearest function
block and let is scoped to the nearest enclosing block, which
can be smaller than a function block. Both are global if outside any
block.Lets see an example:
Example1:
In my both examples I have a function myfunc. myfunc contains a variable myvar equals to 10.
In my first example I check if myvar equals to 10 (myvar==10) . If yes, I agian declare a variable myvar (now I have two myvar variables)using var keyword and assign it a new value (20). In next line I print its value on my console. After the conditional block I again print the value of myvar on my console. If you look at the output of myfunc, myvar has value equals to 20.
Example2:
In my second example instead of using var keyword in my conditional block I declare myvar using let keyword . Now when I call myfunc I get two different outputs: myvar=20 and myvar=10.
So the difference is very simple i.e its scope.

Now I think there is better scoping of variables to a block of statements using let:
function printnums()
{
// i is not accessible here
for(let i = 0; i <10; i+=)
{
console.log(i);
}
// i is not accessible here
// j is accessible here
for(var j = 0; j <10; j++)
{
console.log(j);
}
// j is accessible here
}
I think people will start using let here after so that they will have similar scoping in JavaScript like other languages, Java, C#, etc.
People with not a clear understanding about scoping in JavaScript used to make the mistake earlier.
Hoisting is not supported using let.
With this approach errors present in JavaScript are getting removed.
Refer to ES6 In Depth: let and const to understand it better.

When using let in a for loop initialization, why isn't the let variable avaiable in the enclosing scope?

This has always been a lingering question for me: If block scopes are created when a let or const identifier is enclosed within curly brackets, then how is the let identifier in the initialization statement of a for loop not available in the enclosing scope but is instead available inside the curly brackets of the for loop?
(function() {
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
console.log(i) // logs current value of i
}
console.log(i) // referenceError
})()

That's just how things work. A variable declared at the top of a for loop like that is only visible inside the current iteration's for block. You can think of it a bit like this:
<loop> {
let i = getCount();
console.log(i) // logs current value of i
}
where getCount runs the logic that increments i.
Variables declared with let are block-scoped - it wouldn't make sense for i to be referenceable outside. If the i was visible outside of the for, what would you expect its value to be? You already have a separate i binding for every iteration of the loop. It wouldn't make sense to somewhat-arbitrarily pick one of those bindings to be visible outside.

Because it's a local variable in the for loop and not outside it. If you had declared it outside the loop, you could access it correctly.
(function() {
let i;
for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
console.log(i);
}
console.log(i);
})();

If you don't want to change your syntax, you could use var.
(function() {
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
console.log(i);
}
console.log(i);
// this should work.
})()
Otherwise, a variable declared with let or const has what's called Block Scope meaning that it's only visible inside the curly braces it was defined in. That's essentially the fundamental difference between let and var. A variable declared with var has Function Scope (It's visible throughout the function, even before it's lexical definition, it's value will just be undefined)
(function() {
console.log(i); // undefined
var i = 10;
console.log(i); // 10
})();
But the example above will only work if there is no "use strict" anywhere.

variable scope in javascript

calValue: function (data) {
var self = this;
var values = data.values;
for (var i = 0; i < data.length; i++) {
if(data.condition == 0){
(function (values) {
for (i = 0; i < values.length; i++) {
}
})(values)
}
else{
//do sth else
}
}
}
my understanding is each funtion has its own context and the variable being declared inside it, will only be effetive inside. Like above code snippet, i expect the "i" variable inside the inner for-loop won't impact the outer one "i" variable. However, the fact is it do affect.
Could someone please help explain? Thanks.

With var declarations, scope is at the function level. Such declarations are interpreted as if they appeared at the very start of the enclosing function.
In modern JavaScript environments, the let declaration allows you to create variables scoped to local blocks of statements. (Also const for non-modifiable symbols.)
In your case, that inner i in the nested function just refers to that i declared externally. From inside a function, you can always "see" out, but you can't "see" in. That's how scope works.

In javascript what is the difference between following 2 code blocks? [duplicate]

ECMAScript 6 introduced the let statement.
I've heard that it's described as a local variable, but I'm still not quite sure how it behaves differently than the var keyword.
What are the differences? When should let be used instead of var?

Scoping rules
The main difference is scoping rules. Variables declared by var keyword are scoped to the immediate function body (hence the function scope) while let variables are scoped to the immediate enclosing block denoted by { } (hence the block scope).
function run() {
var foo = "Foo";
let bar = "Bar";
console.log(foo, bar); // Foo Bar
{
var moo = "Mooo"
let baz = "Bazz";
console.log(moo, baz); // Mooo Bazz
}
console.log(moo); // Mooo
console.log(baz); // ReferenceError
}
run();
The reason why let keyword was introduced to the language was function scope is confusing and was one of the main sources of bugs in JavaScript.
Take a look at this example from another Stack Overflow question:
var funcs = [];
// let's create 3 functions
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
// and store them in funcs
funcs[i] = function() {
// each should log its value.
console.log("My value: " + i);
};
}
for (var j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
// and now let's run each one to see
funcs[j]();
}
My value: 3 was output to console each time funcs[j](); was invoked since anonymous functions were bound to the same variable.
People had to create immediately invoked functions to capture correct values from the loops but that was also hairy.
Hoisting
While variables declared with var keyword are hoisted (initialized with undefined before the code is run) which means they are accessible in their enclosing scope even before they are declared:
function run() {
console.log(foo); // undefined
var foo = "Foo";
console.log(foo); // Foo
}
run();
let variables are not initialized until their definition is evaluated. Accessing them before the initialization results in a ReferenceError. The variable is said to be in "temporal dead zone" from the start of the block until the initialization is processed.
function checkHoisting() {
console.log(foo); // ReferenceError
let foo = "Foo";
console.log(foo); // Foo
}
checkHoisting();
Creating global object property
At the top level, let, unlike var, does not create a property on the global object:
var foo = "Foo"; // globally scoped
let bar = "Bar"; // not allowed to be globally scoped
console.log(window.foo); // Foo
console.log(window.bar); // undefined
Redeclaration
In strict mode, var will let you re-declare the same variable in the same scope while let raises a SyntaxError.
'use strict';
var foo = "foo1";
var foo = "foo2"; // No problem, 'foo1' is replaced with 'foo2'.
let bar = "bar1";
let bar = "bar2"; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'bar' has already been declared

let can also be used to avoid problems with closures. It binds fresh value rather than keeping an old reference as shown in examples below.
for(var i=1; i<6; i++) {
$("#div" + i).click(function () { console.log(i); });
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Clicking on each number will log to console:</p>
<div id="div1">1</div>
<div id="div2">2</div>
<div id="div3">3</div>
<div id="div4">4</div>
<div id="div5">5</div>
Code above demonstrates a classic JavaScript closure problem. Reference to the i variable is being stored in the click handler closure, rather than the actual value of i.
Every single click handler will refer to the same object because there’s only one counter object which holds 6 so you get six on each click.
A general workaround is to wrap this in an anonymous function and pass i as an argument. Such issues can also be avoided now by using let instead var as shown in the code below.
(Tested in Chrome and Firefox 50)
for(let i=1; i<6; i++) {
$("#div" + i).click(function () { console.log(i); });
}
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Clicking on each number will log to console:</p>
<div id="div1">1</div>
<div id="div2">2</div>
<div id="div3">3</div>
<div id="div4">4</div>
<div id="div5">5</div>

What's the difference between let and var?
A variable defined using a var statement is known throughout the function it is defined in, from the start of the function. (*)
A variable defined using a let statement is only known in the block it is defined in, from the moment it is defined onward. (**)
To understand the difference, consider the following code:
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but undefined
// l IS NOT known here
function loop(arr) {
// i IS known here, but undefined
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
for( var i = 0; i < arr.length; i++ ) {
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
};
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
for( let j = 0; j < arr.length; j++ ) {
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS known here, and has a value
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
};
// i IS known here, and has a value
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, but has a value only the second time loop is called
// l IS NOT known here
}
loop([1,2,3,4]);
for( var k = 0; k < arr.length; k++ ) {
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS NOT known here
};
for( let l = 0; l < arr.length; l++ ) {
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS known here, and has a value
};
loop([1,2,3,4]);
// i IS NOT known here
// j IS NOT known here
// k IS known here, and has a value
// l IS NOT known here
Here, we can see that our variable j is only known in the first for loop, but not before and after. Yet, our variable i is known in the entire function.
Also, consider that block scoped variables are not known before they are declared because they are not hoisted. You're also not allowed to redeclare the same block scoped variable within the same block. This makes block scoped variables less error prone than globally or functionally scoped variables, which are hoisted and which do not produce any errors in case of multiple declarations.
Is it safe to use let today?
Some people would argue that in the future we'll ONLY use let statements and that var statements will become obsolete. JavaScript guru Kyle Simpson wrote a very elaborate article on why he believes that won't be the case.
Today, however, that is definitely not the case. In fact, we need actually to ask ourselves whether it's safe to use the let statement. The answer to that question depends on your environment:
If you're writing server-side JavaScript code (Node.js), you can safely use the let statement.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and use a browser based transpiler (like Traceur or babel-standalone), you can safely use the let statement, however your code is likely to be anything but optimal with respect to performance.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and use a Node based transpiler (like the traceur shell script or Babel), you can safely use the let statement. And, because your browser will only know about the transpiled code, performance drawbacks should be limited.
If you're writing client-side JavaScript code and don't use a transpiler, you need to consider browser support.
There are still some browsers that don't support let at all :
How to keep track of browser support
For an up-to-date overview of which browsers support the let statement at the time of your reading this answer, see this Can I Use page.
(*) Globally and functionally scoped variables can be initialized and used before they are declared because JavaScript variables are hoisted. This means that declarations are always moved to the top of the scope.
(**) Block scoped variables are not hoisted

Here's an explanation of the let keyword with some examples.
let works very much like var. The main difference is that the scope of a var variable is the entire enclosing function
This table on Wikipedia shows which browsers support Javascript 1.7.
Note that only Mozilla and Chrome browsers support it. IE, Safari, and potentially others don't.

let
Block scope
Variables declared using the let keyword are block-scoped, which means that they are available only in the block in which they were declared.
At the top level (outside of a function)
At the top level, variables declared using let don't create properties on the global object.
var globalVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
console.log(this.globalVariable); // 42
console.log(this.blockScopedVariable); // undefined
Inside a function
Inside a function (but outside of a block), let has the same scope as var.
(() => {
var functionScopedVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(functionScopedVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
})();
console.log(functionScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: functionScopedVariable is not defined
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: blockScopedVariable is not defined
Inside a block
Variables declared using let inside a block can't be accessed outside that block.
{
var globalVariable = 42;
let blockScopedVariable = 43;
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // 43
}
console.log(globalVariable); // 42
console.log(blockScopedVariable); // ReferenceError: blockScopedVariable is not defined
Inside a loop
Variables declared with let in loops can be referenced only inside that loop.
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
var j = i * 2;
}
console.log(i); // 3
console.log(j); // 4
for (let k = 0; k < 3; k++) {
let l = k * 2;
}
console.log(typeof k); // undefined
console.log(typeof l); // undefined
// Trying to do console.log(k) or console.log(l) here would throw a ReferenceError.
Loops with closures
If you use let instead of var in a loop, with each iteration you get a new variable. That means that you can safely use a closure inside a loop.
// Logs 3 thrice, not what we meant.
for (var i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
setTimeout(() => console.log(i), 0);
}
// Logs 0, 1 and 2, as expected.
for (let j = 0; j < 3; j++) {
setTimeout(() => console.log(j), 0);
}
Temporal dead zone
Because of the temporal dead zone, variables declared using let can't be accessed before they are declared. Attempting to do so throws an error.
console.log(noTDZ); // undefined
var noTDZ = 43;
console.log(hasTDZ); // ReferenceError: hasTDZ is not defined
let hasTDZ = 42;
No re-declaring
You can't declare the same variable multiple times using let. You also can't declare a variable using let with the same identifier as another variable which was declared using var.
var a;
var a; // Works fine.
let b;
let b; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'b' has already been declared
var c;
let c; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'c' has already been declared
const
const is quite similar to let—it's block-scoped and has TDZ. There are, however, two things which are different.
No re-assigning
Variable declared using const can't be re-assigned.
const a = 42;
a = 43; // TypeError: Assignment to constant variable.
Note that it doesn't mean that the value is immutable. Its properties still can be changed.
const obj = {};
obj.a = 42;
console.log(obj.a); // 42
If you want to have an immutable object, you should use Object.freeze().
const obj = Object.freeze({a: 40});
obj.a = 42;
console.log(obj.a); // 40
console.log(obj.b); // undefined
Initializer is required
You always must specify a value when declaring a variable using const.
const a; // SyntaxError: Missing initializer in const declaration

The accepted answer is missing a point:
{
let a = 123;
};
console.log(a); // ReferenceError: a is not defined

In most basic terms,
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
// i accessible ✔️
}
// i not accessible ❌
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
// i accessible ✔️
}
// i accessible ✔️
⚡️ Sandbox to play around ↓

The main difference is the scope difference, while let can be only available inside the scope it's declared, like in for loop, var can be accessed outside the loop for example. From the documentation in MDN (examples also from MDN):
let allows you to declare variables that are limited in scope to the block, statement, or expression on which it is used. This is unlike the var keyword, which defines a variable globally, or locally to an entire function regardless of block scope.
Variables declared by let have as their scope the block in which they are defined, as well as in any contained sub-blocks. In this way, let works very much like var. The main difference is that the scope of a var variable is the entire enclosing function:
function varTest() {
var x = 1;
if (true) {
var x = 2; // same variable!
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 2
}
function letTest() {
let x = 1;
if (true) {
let x = 2; // different variable
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 1
}`
At the top level of programs and functions, let, unlike var, does not create a property on the global object. For example:
var x = 'global';
let y = 'global';
console.log(this.x); // "global"
console.log(this.y); // undefined
When used inside a block, let limits the variable's scope to that block. Note the difference between var whose scope is inside the function where it is declared.
var a = 1;
var b = 2;
if (a === 1) {
var a = 11; // the scope is global
let b = 22; // the scope is inside the if-block
console.log(a); // 11
console.log(b); // 22
}
console.log(a); // 11
console.log(b); // 2
Also don't forget it's ECMA6 feature, so it's not fully supported yet, so it's better always transpiles it to ECMA5 using Babel etc... for more info about visit babel website

Here is an example of the difference between the two:
As you can see, the var j variable still has a value outside the for loop scope (Block Scope), but the let i variable is undefined outside of the for loop scope.
"use strict";
console.log("var:");
for (var j = 0; j < 2; j++) {
console.log(j);
}
console.log(j);
console.log("let:");
for (let i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
console.log(i);
}
console.log(i);

There are some subtle differences — let scoping behaves more like variable scoping does in more or less any other languages.
e.g. It scopes to the enclosing block, They don't exist before they're declared, etc.
However it's worth noting that let is only a part of newer Javascript implementations and has varying degrees of browser support.

Variable Not Hoisting
let will not hoist to the entire scope of the block they appear in. By contrast, var could hoist as below.
{
console.log(cc); // undefined. Caused by hoisting
var cc = 23;
}
{
console.log(bb); // ReferenceError: bb is not defined
let bb = 23;
}
Actually, Per #Bergi, Both var and let are hoisted.
Garbage Collection
Block scope of let is useful relates to closures and garbage collection to reclaim memory. Consider,
function process(data) {
//...
}
var hugeData = { .. };
process(hugeData);
var btn = document.getElementById("mybutton");
btn.addEventListener( "click", function click(evt){
//....
});
The click handler callback does not need the hugeData variable at all. Theoretically, after process(..) runs, the huge data structure hugeData could be garbage collected. However, it's possible that some JS engine will still have to keep this huge structure, since the click function has a closure over the entire scope.
However, the block scope can make this huge data structure to garbage collected.
function process(data) {
//...
}
{ // anything declared inside this block can be garbage collected
let hugeData = { .. };
process(hugeData);
}
var btn = document.getElementById("mybutton");
btn.addEventListener( "click", function click(evt){
//....
});
let loops
let in the loop can re-binds it to each iteration of the loop, making sure to re-assign it the value from the end of the previous loop iteration. Consider,
// print '5' 5 times
for (var i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
setTimeout(function () {
console.log(i);
}, 1000);
}
However, replace var with let
// print 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. now
for (let i = 0; i < 5; ++i) {
setTimeout(function () {
console.log(i);
}, 1000);
}
Because let create a new lexical environment with those names for a) the initialiser expression b) each iteration (previosly to evaluating the increment expression), more details are here.

The difference is in the scope of the variables declared with each.
In practice, there are a number of useful consequences of the difference in scope:
let variables are only visible in their nearest enclosing block ({ ... }).
let variables are only usable in lines of code that occur after the variable is declared (even though they are hoisted!).
let variables may not be redeclared by a subsequent var or let.
Global let variables are not added to the global window object.
let variables are easy to use with closures (they do not cause race conditions).
The restrictions imposed by let reduce the visibility of the variables and increase the likelihood that unexpected name collisions will be found early. This makes it easier to track and reason about variables, including their reachability(helping with reclaiming unused memory).
Consequently, let variables are less likely to cause problems when used in large programs or when independently-developed frameworks are combined in new and unexpected ways.
var may still be useful if you are sure you want the single-binding effect when using a closure in a loop (#5) or for declaring externally-visible global variables in your code (#4). Use of var for exports may be supplanted if export migrates out of transpiler space and into the core language.
Examples
1. No use outside nearest enclosing block:
This block of code will throw a reference error because the second use of x occurs outside of the block where it is declared with let:
{
let x = 1;
}
console.log(`x is ${x}`); // ReferenceError during parsing: "x is not defined".
In contrast, the same example with var works.
2. No use before declaration:
This block of code will throw a ReferenceError before the code can be run because x is used before it is declared:
{
x = x + 1; // ReferenceError during parsing: "x is not defined".
let x;
console.log(`x is ${x}`); // Never runs.
}
In contrast, the same example with var parses and runs without throwing any exceptions.
3. No redeclaration:
The following code demonstrates that a variable declared with let may not be redeclared later:
let x = 1;
let x = 2; // SyntaxError: Identifier 'x' has already been declared
4. Globals not attached to window:
var button = "I cause accidents because my name is too common.";
let link = "Though my name is common, I am harder to access from other JS files.";
console.log(link); // OK
console.log(window.link); // undefined (GOOD!)
console.log(window.button); // OK
5. Easy use with closures:
Variables declared with var do not work well with closures inside loops. Here is a simple loop that outputs the sequence of values that the variable i has at different points in time:
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
Specifically, this outputs:
i is 0
i is 1
i is 2
i is 3
i is 4
In JavaScript we often use variables at a significantly later time than when they are created. When we demonstrate this by delaying the output with a closure passed to setTimeout:
for (let i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
setTimeout(_ => console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
... the output remains unchanged as long as we stick with let. In contrast, if we had used var i instead:
for (var i = 0; i < 5; i++) {
setTimeout(_ => console.log(`i is ${i}`), 125/*ms*/);
}
... the loop unexpectedly outputs "i is 5" five times:
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5
i is 5

Here's an example to add on to what others have already written. Suppose you want to make an array of functions, adderFunctions, where each function takes a single Number argument and returns the sum of the argument and the function's index in the array. Trying to generate adderFunctions with a loop using the var keyword won't work the way someone might naïvely expect:
// An array of adder functions.
var adderFunctions = [];
for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
// We want the function at index i to add the index to its argument.
adderFunctions[i] = function(x) {
// What is i bound to here?
return x + i;
};
}
var add12 = adderFunctions[12];
// Uh oh. The function is bound to i in the outer scope, which is currently 1000.
console.log(add12(8) === 20); // => false
console.log(add12(8) === 1008); // => true
console.log(i); // => 1000
// It gets worse.
i = -8;
console.log(add12(8) === 0); // => true
The process above doesn't generate the desired array of functions because i's scope extends beyond the iteration of the for block in which each function was created. Instead, at the end of the loop, the i in each function's closure refers to i's value at the end of the loop (1000) for every anonymous function in adderFunctions. This isn't what we wanted at all: we now have an array of 1000 different functions in memory with exactly the same behavior. And if we subsequently update the value of i, the mutation will affect all the adderFunctions.
However, we can try again using the let keyword:
// Let's try this again.
// NOTE: We're using another ES6 keyword, const, for values that won't
// be reassigned. const and let have similar scoping behavior.
const adderFunctions = [];
for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
// NOTE: We're using the newer arrow function syntax this time, but
// using the "function(x) { ..." syntax from the previous example
// here would not change the behavior shown.
adderFunctions[i] = x => x + i;
}
const add12 = adderFunctions[12];
// Yay! The behavior is as expected.
console.log(add12(8) === 20); // => true
// i's scope doesn't extend outside the for loop.
console.log(i); // => ReferenceError: i is not defined
This time, i is rebound on each iteration of the for loop. Each function now keeps the value of i at the time of the function's creation, and adderFunctions behaves as expected.
Now, image mixing the two behaviors and you'll probably see why it's not recommended to mix the newer let and const with the older var in the same script. Doing so can result is some spectacularly confusing code.
const doubleAdderFunctions = [];
for (var i = 0; i < 1000; i++) {
const j = i;
doubleAdderFunctions[i] = x => x + i + j;
}
const add18 = doubleAdderFunctions[9];
const add24 = doubleAdderFunctions[12];
// It's not fun debugging situations like this, especially when the
// code is more complex than in this example.
console.log(add18(24) === 42); // => false
console.log(add24(18) === 42); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === add24(18)); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === 2018); // => false
console.log(add24(18) === 2018); // => false
console.log(add18(24) === 1033); // => true
console.log(add24(18) === 1030); // => true
Don't let this happen to you. Use a linter.
NOTE: This is a teaching example intended to demonstrate the var/let behavior in loops and with function closures that would also be easy to understand. This would be a terrible way to add numbers. But the general technique of capturing data in anonymous function closures might be encountered in the real world in other contexts. YMMV.

May the following two functions show the difference:
function varTest() {
var x = 31;
if (true) {
var x = 71; // Same variable!
console.log(x); // 71
}
console.log(x); // 71
}
function letTest() {
let x = 31;
if (true) {
let x = 71; // Different variable
console.log(x); // 71
}
console.log(x); // 31
}

ES6 introduced two new keyword(let and const) alternate to var.
When you need a block level deceleration you can go with let and const instead of var.
The below table summarize the difference between var, let and const

Function VS block scope:
The main difference between var and let is that variables declared with var are function scoped. Whereas functions declared with let are block scoped. For example:
function testVar () {
if(true) {
var foo = 'foo';
}
console.log(foo);
}
testVar();
// logs 'foo'
function testLet () {
if(true) {
let bar = 'bar';
}
console.log(bar);
}
testLet();
// reference error
// bar is scoped to the block of the if statement
variables with var:
When the first function testVar gets called the variable foo, declared with var, is still accessible outside the if statement. This variable foo would be available everywhere within the scope of the testVar function.
variables with let:
When the second function testLet gets called the variable bar, declared with let, is only accessible inside the if statement. Because variables declared with let are block scoped (where a block is the code between curly brackets e.g if{} , for{}, function{}).
let variables don't get hoisted:
Another difference between var and let is variables with declared with let don't get hoisted. An example is the best way to illustrate this behavior:
variables with let don't get hoisted:
console.log(letVar);
let letVar = 10;
// referenceError, the variable doesn't get hoisted
variables with var do get hoisted:
console.log(varVar);
var varVar = 10;
// logs undefined, the variable gets hoisted
Global let doesn't get attached to window:
A variable declared with let in the global scope (which is code that is not in a function) doesn't get added as a property on the global window object. For example (this code is in global scope):
var bar = 5;
let foo = 10;
console.log(bar); // logs 5
console.log(foo); // logs 10
console.log(window.bar);
// logs 5, variable added to window object
console.log(window.foo);
// logs undefined, variable not added to window object
When should let be used over var?
Use let over var whenever you can because it is simply scoped more specific. This reduces potential naming conflicts which can occur when dealing with a large number of variables. var can be used when you want a global variable explicitly to be on the window object (always consider carefully if this is really necessary).

let is interesting, because it allows us to do something like this:
(() => {
var count = 0;
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (let i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
console.log(count++);
}
}
}
})();
Which results in counting [0, 7].
Whereas
(() => {
var count = 0;
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
for (var i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
console.log(count++);
}
}
}
})();
Only counts [0, 1].

This explanation is taken from an article I wrote at Medium:
Hoisting is a JavaScript mechanism where variables and function
declarations are moved to the top of their scope by the parser which
reads the source code into an intermediate representation before the
actual code execution starts by the JavaScript interpreter. So, it actually
doesn’t matter where variables or functions are declared, they will be
moved to the top of their scope regardless of whether their scope is
global or local. This means that
console.log (hi);
var hi = "say hi";
is actually interpreted to
var hi = undefined;
console.log (hi);
hi = "say hi";
So, as we saw just now, var variables are being hoisted to the top
of their scope and are being initialized with the value of undefined
which means that we can actually assign their value before actually
declaring them in the code like so:
hi = “say hi”
console.log (hi); // say hi
var hi;
Regarding function declarations, we can invoke them before actually declaring them like so:
sayHi(); // Hi
function sayHi() {
console.log('Hi');
};
Function expressions, on the other hand, are not hoisted, so we’ll get the following error:
sayHi(); //Output: "TypeError: sayHi is not a function
var sayHi = function() {
console.log('Hi');
};
ES6 introduced JavaScript developers the let and const keywords. While let and const are block-scoped and not function
scoped as var it shouldn’t make a difference while discussing their
hoisting behavior. We’ll start from the end, JavaScript hoists let
and const.
console.log(hi); // Output: Cannot access 'hi' before initialization
let hi = 'Hi';
As we can see above, let doesn’t allow us to use undeclared
variables, hence the interpreter explicitly output a reference error
indicating that the hi variable cannot be accessed before
initialization. The same error will occur if we change the above let
to const
console.log(hi); // Output: Cannot access 'hi' before initialization
const hi = 'Hi';
So, bottom line, the JavaScript parser searches for variable
declarations and functions and hoists them to the top of their scope
before code execution and assign values to them in the memory so in
case the interpreter will encounter them while executing the code he
will recognize them and will be able to execute the code with their
assigned values. Variables declared with let or const remain
uninitialized at the beginning of execution while that variables
declared with var are being initialized with a value of undefined.
I added this visual illustration to better help understanding of how are the hoisted
variables and function are being saved in the memory

It also appears that, at least in Visual Studio 2015, TypeScript 1.5, "var" allows multiple declarations of the same variable name in a block, and "let" doesn't.
This won't generate a compile error:
var x = 1;
var x = 2;
This will:
let x = 1;
let x = 2;

var --> Function scope
let --> Block scope
const --> Block scope
var
In this code sample, variable i is declared using var. Therefore, it has a function scope. It means you can access i from only inside the function x. You can't read it from outside the function x
function x(){
var i = 100;
console.log(i); // 100
}
console.log(i); // Error. You can't do this
x();
In this sample, you can see i is declared inside a if block. But it's declared using var. Therefore, it gets function scope. It means still you can access variable i inside function x. Because var always get scoped to functions. Even though variable i is declared inside if block, because of it's using var it get scoped to parent function x.
function x(){
if(true){
var i = 100;
}
console.log(i);
}
x();
Now variable i is declared inside the function y. Therefore, i scoped to function y. You can access i inside function y. But not from outside function y.
function x(){
function y(){
var i = 100;
console.log(i);
}
y();
}
x();
function x(){
function y(){
var i = 100;
}
console.log(i); // ERROR
}
x();
let, const
let and const has block scope.
const and let behave same. But the difference is, when you assign value to const you can't re-assign. But you can re-assign values with let.
In this example, variable i is declared inside an if block. So it can be only accessed from inside that if block. We can't access it from outside that if block. (here const work same as let)
if(true){
let i = 100;
console.log(i); // Output: 100
}
console.log(i); // Error
function x(){
if(true){
let i = 100;
console.log(i); // Output: 100
}
console.log(i); // Error
}
x();
Another difference with (let, const) vs var is you can access var defined variable before declaring it. It will give you undefined. But if you do that with let or const defined variable it will give you an error.
console.log(x);
var x = 100;
console.log(x); // ERROR
let x = 100;

var is global scope (hoist-able) variable.
let and const is block scope.
test.js
{
let l = 'let';
const c = 'const';
var v = 'var';
v2 = 'var 2';
}
console.log(v, this.v);
console.log(v2, this.v2);
console.log(l); // ReferenceError: l is not defined
console.log(c); // ReferenceError: c is not defined

If I read the specs right then let thankfully can also be leveraged to avoid self invoking functions used to simulate private only members - a popular design pattern that decreases code readability, complicates debugging, that adds no real code protection or other benefit - except maybe satisfying someone's desire for semantics, so stop using it. /rant
var SomeConstructor;
{
let privateScope = {};
SomeConstructor = function SomeConstructor () {
this.someProperty = "foo";
privateScope.hiddenProperty = "bar";
}
SomeConstructor.prototype.showPublic = function () {
console.log(this.someProperty); // foo
}
SomeConstructor.prototype.showPrivate = function () {
console.log(privateScope.hiddenProperty); // bar
}
}
var myInstance = new SomeConstructor();
myInstance.showPublic();
myInstance.showPrivate();
console.log(privateScope.hiddenProperty); // error
See 'Emulating private interfaces'

When Using let
The let keyword attaches the variable declaration to the scope of whatever block (commonly a { .. } pair) it's contained in. In other words,let implicitly hijacks any block's scope for its variable declaration.
let variables cannot be accessed in the window object because they cannot be globally accessed.
function a(){
{ // this is the Max Scope for let variable
let x = 12;
}
console.log(x);
}
a(); // Uncaught ReferenceError: x is not defined
When Using var
var and variables in ES5 has scopes in functions meaning the variables are valid within the function and not outside the function itself.
var variables can be accessed in the window object because they cannot be globally accessed.
function a(){ // this is the Max Scope for var variable
{
var x = 12;
}
console.log(x);
}
a(); // 12
If you want to know more continue reading below
one of the most famous interview questions on scope also can suffice the exact use of let and var as below;
When using let
for (let i = 0; i < 10 ; i++) {
setTimeout(
function a() {
console.log(i); //print 0 to 9, that is literally AWW!!!
},
100 * i);
}
This is because when using let, for every loop iteration the variable is scoped and has its own copy.
When using var
for (var i = 0; i < 10 ; i++) {
setTimeout(
function a() {
console.log(i); //print 10 times 10
},
100 * i);
}
This is because when using var, for every loop iteration the variable is scoped and has shared copy.

Some hacks with let:
1.
let statistics = [16, 170, 10];
let [age, height, grade] = statistics;
console.log(height)
2.
let x = 120,
y = 12;
[x, y] = [y, x];
console.log(`x: ${x} y: ${y}`);
3.
let node = {
type: "Identifier",
name: "foo"
};
let { type, name, value } = node;
console.log(type); // "Identifier"
console.log(name); // "foo"
console.log(value); // undefined
let node = {
type: "Identifier"
};
let { type: localType, name: localName = "bar" } = node;
console.log(localType); // "Identifier"
console.log(localName); // "bar"
Getter and setter with let:
let jar = {
numberOfCookies: 10,
get cookies() {
return this.numberOfCookies;
},
set cookies(value) {
this.numberOfCookies = value;
}
};
console.log(jar.cookies)
jar.cookies = 7;
console.log(jar.cookies)

let vs var. It's all about scope.
var variables are global and can be accessed basically everywhere, while let variables are not global and only exist until a closing parenthesis kills them.
See my example below, and note how the lion (let) variable acts differently in the two console.logs; it becomes out of scope in the 2nd console.log.
var cat = "cat";
let dog = "dog";
var animals = () => {
var giraffe = "giraffe";
let lion = "lion";
console.log(cat); //will print 'cat'.
console.log(dog); //will print 'dog', because dog was declared outside this function (like var cat).
console.log(giraffe); //will print 'giraffe'.
console.log(lion); //will print 'lion', as lion is within scope.
}
console.log(giraffe); //will print 'giraffe', as giraffe is a global variable (var).
console.log(lion); //will print UNDEFINED, as lion is a 'let' variable and is now out of scope.

I just came across one use case that I had to use var over let to introduce new variable. Here's a case:
I want to create a new variable with dynamic variable names.
let variableName = 'a';
eval("let " + variableName + '= 10;');
console.log(a); // this doesn't work
var variableName = 'a';
eval("var " + variableName + '= 10;');
console.log(a); // this works
The above code doesn't work because eval introduces a new block of code. The declaration using var will declare a variable outside of this block of code since var declares a variable in the function scope.
let, on the other hand, declares a variable in a block scope. So, a variable will only be visible in eval block.

The below shows how 'let' and 'var' are different in the scope:
let gfoo = 123;
if (true) {
let gfoo = 456;
}
console.log(gfoo); // 123
var hfoo = 123;
if (true) {
var hfoo = 456;
}
console.log(hfoo); // 456
The gfoo, defined by let initially is in the global scope, and when we declare gfoo again inside the if clause its scope changed and when a new value is assigned to the variable inside that scope it does not affect the global scope.
Whereas hfoo, defined by var is initially in the global scope, but again when we declare it inside the if clause, it considers the global scope hfoo, although var has been used again to declare it. And when we re-assign its value we see that the global scope hfoo is also affected. This is the primary difference.

let is a part of es6. These functions will explain the difference in easy way.
function varTest() {
var x = 1;
if (true) {
var x = 2; // same variable!
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 2
}
function letTest() {
let x = 1;
if (true) {
let x = 2; // different variable
console.log(x); // 2
}
console.log(x); // 1
}

As mentioned above:
The difference is scoping. var is scoped to the nearest function
block and let is scoped to the nearest enclosing block, which
can be smaller than a function block. Both are global if outside any
block.Lets see an example:
Example1:
In my both examples I have a function myfunc. myfunc contains a variable myvar equals to 10.
In my first example I check if myvar equals to 10 (myvar==10) . If yes, I agian declare a variable myvar (now I have two myvar variables)using var keyword and assign it a new value (20). In next line I print its value on my console. After the conditional block I again print the value of myvar on my console. If you look at the output of myfunc, myvar has value equals to 20.
Example2:
In my second example instead of using var keyword in my conditional block I declare myvar using let keyword . Now when I call myfunc I get two different outputs: myvar=20 and myvar=10.
So the difference is very simple i.e its scope.

Now I think there is better scoping of variables to a block of statements using let:
function printnums()
{
// i is not accessible here
for(let i = 0; i <10; i+=)
{
console.log(i);
}
// i is not accessible here
// j is accessible here
for(var j = 0; j <10; j++)
{
console.log(j);
}
// j is accessible here
}
I think people will start using let here after so that they will have similar scoping in JavaScript like other languages, Java, C#, etc.
People with not a clear understanding about scoping in JavaScript used to make the mistake earlier.
Hoisting is not supported using let.
With this approach errors present in JavaScript are getting removed.
Refer to ES6 In Depth: let and const to understand it better.

How does this JavaScript closure work?

Here's some JavaScript:
linkElem.click(function () {
var data = linkElem.data();
alert(''+data.mls + ' ' + data.id);
});
It works.
linkElem is a local variable that I create in a loop inside a function. I assign some data to it with jQuery's .data(). If I did not call .click(), linkElem would be reassigned during the loop and then recycled after the function returns. However, I have created an anonymous function which references linkElem. So I am no longer sure what is going on.
My guess is that all of the anonymous functions and linkElems created during the loop are given UIDs of some kind and moved to persistent/global scope. Is this correct? Gratuitous detail would be much appreciated.

Yes, your description is pretty close. The local storage for a Javascript function call is just a block of memory allocated for local variables. If you "capture" that by creating another function inside a called function, then the storage is retained and the local variables carry on with their lives, unaware that the function that gave them birth might be long dead.
It's important to keep in mind that only functions create such storage — things like brace-enclosed loop bodies are not separate storage areas. Thus a common error is to declare a variable in a function and re-use it among several functions created in a loop. That's not inherently wrong, but the effect can be surprising:
function whatever() {
for (var i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
setTimeout(function() { alert(i); }, 5000);
}
}
If you run that, you'll see three alerts that all say "3". Why? Because they all share the same "i" variable. You can avoid that by introducing another function layer:
function whatever() {
for (var i = 0; i < 3; ++i) {
setTimeout((function(private_i) { return function() { alert(private_i); }; })(i), 5000);
}
}
The "wrapper" function is just there to provide a local variable (the parameter "private_i") whereto the loop variable "i" can be copied.

However, I have created an anonymous function which references linkElem. So I am no longer sure what is going on.
It still gets reassigned, unless you are wrapping it in another level of scope (NB: another function).
Consider the following:
for (var j = 0;j < 10;j += 1) {
arrayOfLinks[j].onclick = function () {
alert(j);
};
}
In this case, all of those links would alert 10 when clicked, because j is outside of the scope and is being updated.
If you're creating linkElem in the same way, you are likely to only get the result of the last linkElem in the loop.
This is a better way:
linkElem.click(function () {
var data = $(this).data(); // no longer dependent on `linkElem` reference
alert(''+data.mls + ' ' + data.id);
});

Please refer to this How do JavaScript closures work?
This may help you understanding closures.
Whenever you see the function keyword within another function, the inner function has access to variables in the outer function.
function foo(x) {
var tmp = 3;
function bar(y) {
alert(x + y + (++tmp));
}
bar(10);
}
foo(2)
This will always alert 16, because bar can access the x which was defined as an argument to foo, and it can also access tmp from foo.
That is a closure. A function doesn't have to return in order to be called a closure. Simply accessing variables outside of your immediate lexical scope creates a closure.
function foo(x) {
var tmp = 3;
return function (y) {
alert(x + y + (++tmp));
}
}
var bar = foo(2); // bar is now a closure.
bar(10);
The above function will also alert 16, because bar can still refer to x and tmp, even though it is no longer directly inside the scope.
However, since tmp is still hanging around inside bar's closure, it is also being incremented. It will be incremented each time you call bar.
The simplest example of a closure is this:
var a = 10;
function test() {
console.log(a); // will output 10
console.log(b); // will output 6
}
var b = 6;
test();
When a Javascript function is invoked, a new execution context is created. Together with the function arguments and the parent object, this execution context also receives all the variables declared outside of it (in the above example, both 'a' and 'b').
It is possible to create more than one closure function, either by returning a list of them or by setting them to global variables. All of these will refer to the same x and the same tmp, they don't make their own copies.
[you]: Fascinating, tell me more!
Here the number x is a literal number. As with other literals in JavaScript, when foo is called, the number x is copied into foo as its argument x.
On the other hand, JavaScript always uses references when dealing with Objects. If say, you called foo with an Object, the closure it returns will reference that original Object!
function foo(x) {
var tmp = 3;
return function (y) {
alert(x + y + tmp);
x.memb = x.memb ? x.memb + 1 : 1;
alert(x.memb);
}
}
var age = new Number(2);
var bar = foo(age); // bar is now a closure referencing age.
bar(10);
As expected, each call to bar(10) will increment x.memb. What might not be expected, is that x is simply referring to the same object as the age variable! After a couple of calls to bar, age.memb will be 2! This referencing is the basis for memory leaks with HTML objects.

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JavaScript is the programming language of the Web.

JavaScript function to loop in a loop iterator issue? - javascript

Issue with variable i's scope. function func(){ for(var i=0; i < 5; i++){ alert('g'); } } for(var i=0; i < 5; i++){ func(); alert('h'); }

Try declaring i as a local variable in your function: function func(){ var i; for(i=0; i < 5; i++){ alert('g'); } }

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