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function vs property in interface

Written byPhuoc Nguyen
Created
18 Aug, 2020
Category
TypeScript
There are two ways to define a method in an interface.
  • Declare as a property whose type is function
js
interface Logger {
log: (message: string) => void;
}
  • Declare as a normal function
js
interface Logger {
log(message: string): void;
}

Differences

  1. If the method is declared as a interface function, then it's possible for you to add more overload versions.
    js
    interface Logger {
    log(message: string): void;
    }

    // In other places
    interface Logger {
    log(message: string, level: string): void;
    }
    Declaring method as a property, on the other hand, prevents you from duplicating the property declarations which have different types:
    js
    interface Logger {
    log: (message: string) => void;
    }

    // Does not work
    interface Logger {
    log: (message: string, level: string) => void;
    }
  2. The `readonly` modifier only has effect with the property declaration.
    js
    interface Person {
    firstName: string;
    lastName: string;

    readonly fullName: () => string;

    // Doesn't work
    // readonly fullName(): string;
    }
  3. TypeScript generates different output for a class that implements the interface methods.
    Assume that we have a class `ConsoleLogger` that simply logs the message in the Console window.
    For the first approach:
    js
    interface Logger {
    log: (message: string) => void;
    }

    class ConsoleLogger implements Logger {
    log = (message: string) => {
    console.log(message);
    };
    }

    // Generated JavaScript code:
    //
    // class ConsoleLogger {
    // constructor() {
    // this.log = (message) => {
    // console.log(message);
    // };
    // }
    // }
    For the second approach:
    js
    interface Logger {
    log(message: string): void;
    }

    class ConsoleLogger implements Logger {
    log(message: string) {
    console.log(message);
    }
    }

    // Generated JavaScript code:
    //
    // class ConsoleLogger {
    // log(message) {
    // console.log(message);
    // }
    // }
    Looking at the generated JavaScript codes, you'll see the different outputs.
    The first approach produces a property `log` in the constructor. It means that `log` will be created every time you create a new instance of class.
    While the second approach produces the `log` method, and it exists in all instances of class. The `log` method also is a member of class prototype, so we can extend the class to override the method if needed:
    js
    class ConsoleLogger implements Logger {
    log(message: string) {
    console.log(message);
    }
    }

    class ConsoleLoggerWithColor extends ConsoleLogger {
    // Override the `log` method
    log(message: string) {
    // Display the message in white color and blue background area
    console.log('%c%s', 'color: white; background: blue', message);
    }
    }
    See the differences between declaring methods in class constructor and prototype for more details.
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