This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Shagun Mistry
Enums, short for enumerations, are a powerful feature in TypeScript that allow you to define a set of named constants. This can be incredibly useful when you want to represent a limited set of choices or options within your code.
Enums can make your code more readable, maintainable, and less prone to errors.
Imagine you're building a simple online store. You need to represent the different payment methods your customers can choose from:
// Without enums
const PAYMENT_METHOD_CARD = "card";
const PAYMENT_METHOD_PAYPAL = "paypal";
const PAYMENT_METHOD_APPLEPAY = "applepay";
// ... later in your code ...
if (paymentMethod === PAYMENT_METHOD_CARD) {
// Process card payment
} else if (paymentMethod === PAYMENT_METHOD_PAYPAL) {
// Process Paypal payment
}
This approach works, but it's a bit verbose and prone to typos.
This is where Enums come handy!
// Using enums
enum PaymentMethod {
Card = "card",
Paypal = "paypal",
ApplePay = "applepay",
}
// ... later in your code ...
if (paymentMethod === PaymentMethod.Card) {
// Process card payment
} else if (paymentMethod === PaymentMethod.Paypal) {
// Process Paypal payment
}
Here's why enums are so awesome:
-
Readability: Instead of using magic strings, you have clearly defined names like
PaymentMethod.Cardwhich make your code much easier to understand. - Type Safety: TypeScript will flag any errors if you try to use an invalid payment method, preventing runtime issues.
- Maintainability: If you need to add a new payment method, you only need to add it to the enum definition, ensuring consistency across your codebase.
Let's put it into action with a practical code example:
enum PaymentMethod {
Card = "card",
Paypal = "paypal",
ApplePay = "applepay",
}
function processPayment(paymentMethod: PaymentMethod) {
if (paymentMethod === PaymentMethod.Card) {
console.log("Processing card payment...");
} else if (paymentMethod === PaymentMethod.Paypal) {
console.log("Processing Paypal payment...");
} else if (paymentMethod === PaymentMethod.ApplePay) {
console.log("Processing ApplePay payment...");
}
}
processPayment(PaymentMethod.Paypal); // Output: Processing Paypal payment...
Isn't that neat?
Enums bring structure and clarity to your code, making it easier to manage and less error-prone.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by Shagun Mistry
Shagun Mistry | Sciencx (2024-08-27T15:47:39+00:00) Typescript Enums. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2024/08/27/typescript-enums/
Please log in to upload a file.
There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.