In JavaScript, the behavior of passing arguments to functions can be described as "pass by value." However, the distinction between passing primitive types (like numbers, strings, booleans, undefined, and null) and reference types (like objects, arrays, and functions) is crucial to understanding how JavaScript handles data during function calls.
Primitive Types
When primitive types are passed as arguments to a function, JavaScript copies the value of the variable into the function's scope. Any modifications to these values within the function do not affect the original variable outside the function. This behavior is consistent with the definition of "pass by value," where changes to the function parameter do not impact the original data[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][13].
Reference Types
For reference types, the situation appears slightly different but still adheres to the "pass by value" principle. When an object, array, or function is passed to another function, JavaScript copies the reference to the object (not the actual object itself) into the function. This means that while the reference is copied by value, the function now has a reference pointing to the original object. Changes made to the object's properties through this reference will affect the original object because both the original reference and the copied reference point to the same underlying object in memory[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9].
Misconception of Pass by Reference
It's a common misconception to think of this behavior as "pass by reference," which is a specific term meaning that the function would directly modify the variable itself, not just the object it refers to. In true pass by reference, reassigning the parameter inside the function would also cha...
