Why is extending built-in JavaScript objects not a good idea?
Câu trả lời
Extending built-in JavaScript objects, often referred to as "monkey patching," involves adding new functions or modifying existing ones in JavaScript's built-in prototypes, such as Object, Array, or String. While this practice can offer immediate functionality extensions, it is generally considered poor practice due to several significant drawbacks:
1. Maintainability and Readability Issues
Extending native objects can lead to code that is hard to understand and maintain. Future maintainers of the codebase might not be aware that built-in objects have been modified, leading to confusion and unexpected behaviors[1][2][3][6][7].
2. Collision and Compatibility Risks
If different parts of a codebase, or different dependencies, extend built-in objects in incompatible ways, it can lead to collisions. For example, if two libraries extend the Array.prototype but add a method with the same name that does different things, it can lead to unpredictable results[1][2][6][7]. Additionally, future versions of JavaScript might add new methods with the same names as your extensions, potentially breaking your code[7].
3. Performance Concerns
Modifying native prototypes can lead to performance issues. JavaScript engines optimize the execution of built-in methods extensively. Extending these objects can interfere with these optimizations, leading to slower code execution[1][2][3].
4. Prototype Pollution and Security Risks
Extending native prototypes can lead to prototype pollution, which can be a security risk in certain contexts. If properties are added to prototypes unsafely, it can lead to an avenue for attackers to manipulate these properties to their advantage[4].
5. Breaking Encapsulation
By extending a built-in prototype, you are effectively changing its behavior globally across your application. This breaks the encapsulation principle, where modifications should ideally be localized and not affect unrelated parts of an application[9].
6. Non-standard Behavior
Extensions to built-in prototypes do not form part of the JavaScript standard; thus, they can lead to behaviors that are not consistent across different JavaScript environments or runtime versions. This non-standard behavior can lead to issues when code is executed in different environments[1][2][6][7].
