Questions
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1What is the constructor function?
2What are Objects?
3What are the properties of an object?
4How does javascript implements object oriented programming?
5What are the key differences between javascript’s Object-based Inheritance and Conventional Class-based Inheritance?
6What is a prototype in JavaScript?
7How we can implement prototype-based inheritance?
8Explain the prototype chain and its role in property lookup.
9What is the difference between an object's `__proto__` and a constructor function's `prototype` property and [[Prototype]]?
10What are object wrappers for primitive type?
11Can you explain the use of object wrappers with examples?
12Explain how the `instanceof` operator works.
13What are different methods to create an object?
14What is an object initializer?
15What does the `Object.create()` method do?
16How are constructor functions used to create objects with shared properties and methods?
17Show an example of ES6 classes to create objects and inherit properties?
18What are factory functions in JavaScript ?
19What are Object constructors in JavaScript ?
20How can you add new properties and methods to the prototype of an existing constructor function?
21What is prototype pollution, and how can it be a security risk in JavaScript?
22Is modifying or extending built-in object prototypes recommended (e.g., adding a method to `Array.prototype`)? Why or why not?
23What happens when you try to access a property that doesn't exist on an object?
24How can you prevent or mitigate prototype pollution vulnerabilities in your code?
25How does the `Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty()` method work?
26How can you optimize prototype chain lookup for better performance?
27Can you explain how `Object.prototype.constructor` property works?
28What is the difference between modifying the prototype of an object and adding a property directly to the object?
29How does JavaScript handle circular references in object prototypes?
30What is static dispatching in object-oriented programming?
31What is the purpose of the `Object.keys()` method?
32Write a function flattenObject(obj) that flattens a deeply nested object into a single-level object, using dot notation for nested keys.
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How can you optimize prototype chain lookup for better performance?

Optimizing prototype chain lookup is about reducing the 'distance' the JavaScript engine has to travel to find a property. Every time you access obj.prop, the engine must check the object, then its prototype, then the next prototype, until it hits null.

While modern engines like V8 (Chrome/Node.js) use Inline Caching to speed this up, poorly structured code can still cause significant deoptimization.

Here are few thiungs to keep in mind:
  1. 1

    You can optimize prototype chain lookup by avoiding deep prototype chains, as excessive chaining can lead to slower property lookup. Use Object Composition or Mixins to flatten the structure. Instead of inheriting from 5 levels

  2. 2

    If a specific property or method is called thousands of times per second (a hot path), move it from the prototype directly onto the instance. This reduces the lookup time to $O(1)$.

  3. 3

    Modern JS engines create Hidden Classes (or Shapes) to optimize object access. When you change an object's prototype using Object.setPrototypeOf() or obj.proto, you mutate the shape. This forces the engine to throw away its optimized machine code and revert to a much slower, generic lookup. If you need an object with a specific prototype, create it that way from the start using Object.create(proto) or new Constructor(). Never change the prototype after the object has been initialized.

  4. 4

    Cache Prototype Results: If you are in a loop and need to access a property that lives deep in the prototype chain, store it in a local variable first. This is called Local Reference Caching.

  5. 5

    Avoid the for...in Loop: The for...in loop is notoriously slow because it always iterates over the entire prototype chain to find enumerable properties. Use Object.keys(obj) or Object.entries(obj).

  6. 6

    If you are using an object strictly as a dictionary or hash map, create it with a null prototype.