JavaScript Apply vs Call

Differences Between JavaScript Apply vs Call

JavaScript is an OOP scripting language. It was created by Brendan Eich and developed by Netscape Communications, Mozilla Foundation, Ecma International. It was first released in the year 1995. The JavaScript filename extension is ‘.js’, and the internet media type is application/javascript.

Javascript was to be introduced with java as a client-side scripting language that code run on a browser without compiling. It is interpreted. Javascript can be embedded directly into HTML. Javascript code runs on the browser and making web pages more dynamic and interactive.

Javascript uses dynamic typing, where the data type getting verified at runtime only. Javascript is a text-based, dynamic, and weakly typed language. In JavaScript, objects can directly inherit from other objects means objects are prototype-based.

JavaScript, mainly used in a project, has a requirement of front-end technologies like JQuery, AngularJs, React.js, Backbone.js; used for server-side technologies are node.js, MongoDB, and for mobile application development languages like phone gap, react-native. It is also used for dynamic single-page applications.

JavaScript has a lot of features like universal support, imperative and structured, object-oriented, dynamic typing, runtime evaluation, functional, delegative, variadic functions, regular expressions, array and objects literals, vendor-specific extensions, simple syntax, embedded scripting language, scripting engine, application platform, development tools.

JavaScript provides security in any of the platform used. But sometimes, there can be security issues while doing and writing programs. These can be like cross-site vulnerabilities, misplaced trust in a client, misplaced trust in developers, browser, and plugin error codes, sandbox implementation errors, hardware vulnerabilities.

In JavaScript, functions are objects, and as objects, functions have methods. There are many powerful functions like apply, call and several others. JavaScript Apply vs Call methods are almost similar, and it has been used more often in javascript.

JavaScript uses to apply a method to borrow functions and set ‘this’ value when it is invoked. The apply functions take arguments as an array so that each argument passed in function individually. Javascript uses a call method for the same purpose, and it almost the same. The call function takes arguments separately, or we can say it accepts the argument list.

Head to Head Comparison Between JavaScript Apply and Call (Infographics)

Below are the top 6 comparisons between JavaScript Apply and Call:

Key Differences Between JavaScript Apply and Call

Let us discuss some of the major differences between JavaScript Apply and Call:

1. The fundamental difference between the JavaScript Call and Apply functions is passing the arguments while calling a function. In Apply function, the arguments are passed as an Array. In the call function, the arguments are passed in the form of the argument list.
2. In Javascript, the apply function allows multiple functions. But the call function does not allow it.
3. The syntax for java script apply function is like object.propertyname.apply(obj, [“name1”, “name2”,….]) or function.apply (thisArg, [argsArray]). For java script call function, the syntax is like object.propertyname.call(obj, “name1”, “name2”, ….) or function.call(thisarg, arg1, arg2, ….).
4. Apply function’s array-like objects do not accept by browsers like chrome and internet explorer, and sometimes it throws an exception. For the call function, this situation does not arise.

JavaScript Apply and Call Comparison Table

Following is the comparison table between JavaScript Apply and Call.

Basis of  Comparison	JavaScript Apply	JavaScript Call
Definition	JavaScript Apply function is used to borrow functions and to set this value.	JavaScript call function is derived from borrowing and invoking functions.
Arguments	JavaScript Apply function takes the arguments as an Array.	JavaScript Call function takes the arguments separately.
Adding Elements	In JavaScript Apply, elements can be further added to another array.	In the Call function, we have to add an element to the list only.
Built-in function	In Javascript, the Apply method can use built-in function like min and max functions.	In the call function, the built-in functions cannot be used.
Constructor	Apply function can be used for chain constructors for an object.	The call function does not have this feature.
Variadic Functions	Apply function able to use variadic functions	Call function not able to use.

Conclusion

JavaScript Call and Apply functions are almost similar. These functions are mainly used for the same purpose to borrow the functions and invoke the functions to set the values of ‘this’. The borrow functions can be like borrow array methods, borrow string methods, borrow custom methods, and functions.

JavaScript has a wide variety of functions but apply and call functions are most of the used functions. These functions can be used on their functionality as well as per the requirement of the application or function at a particular time.

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