Introduction

Every object in JavaScript has certain pre-defined methods, as we have seen. I first saw the term "prototype" in JavaScript while I was using console.log() for an object in the browser console.

What is prototype?

• In JavaScript, every function and object has a property named "prototype" by default.

• Prototypes are the mechanism by which JavaScript objects inherit features from one another.

• Whenever we create an object or function JavaScript engine adds a built-in Prototype property inside the object or function.

• All JavaScript objects inherit properties and methods from a prototype.

const hero = {"fruit": "mango", "flower": "rose"}
console.log(hero.__proto__) // this is old method to get the prototype property
console.log(Object.getPrototypeOf(hero)) // we always use this method to access prototype property

In the above picture, You can see the all prototype properties of the object.

What is prototype chaining?

• The Prototype of an object would also have a prototype object.

• This "chain" goes continues until it reaches the top level of objects which has null prototype objects. This is called prototype chaining.

• All objects in JavaScript are instances of Objects.

• All the objects in JavaScript, inherit the properties and methods from Object.prototype.

lets see example:

const myHero = ["thor", "spiderman"];

Object.prototype.gaurav= function(){
console.log("gaurav is present in all objects");
}

myHero.gaurav() //gaurav is present in all objects

• As you can see in the above picture the prototype of the Array object.

• This Array object also contains the Object prototype you can see in the below picture.

• You can have an idea now that these exist in the prototype. Indirectly, these were hidden from us that we inherit from Array.prototype.

• This is known as prototype chaining because we keep on chaining the prototype, we can also call prototypal inheritance because it inherits properties and methods from another object.

• As you can see "gaurav" method is available in this array of objects also.

Conclusion

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