Why this is working:

var a = () => { 

    var print = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}

a().print(5).print2(5);

this is also working:

var b = () => { 

    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return this; }    
    return { print:print}
}
b().print('Arrow function works');

while this is not working:

var b = () => { 

    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return this; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}
b().print(5).print2(5);

/

Why this is working:

var a = () => { 

    var print = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}

a().print(5).print2(5);

this is also working:

var b = () => { 

    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return this; }    
    return { print:print}
}
b().print('Arrow function works');

while this is not working:

var b = () => { 

    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return this; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}
b().print(5).print2(5);

https://jsfiddle/Imabot/1gt2kxfh/14/

• javascript
• arrow-functions

Share Improve this question Follow edited Jan 25, 2020 at 17:00 Fifi asked Jan 25, 2020 at 16:52 FifiFifi 3,61533 gold badges3131 silver badges6262 bronze badges 3

• 1 Because that's how arrow functions work (and indeed is the main reason for why they were introduced - contrary to popular belief, it's nothing to do with saving keystrokes). See developer.mozilla/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/…, amongst others – Robin Zigmond Commented Jan 25, 2020 at 16:56
• I updated the question with a new working example. – Fifi Commented Jan 25, 2020 at 17:01
• In the print function constructed with an arrow syntax the this references the scope of b. While in the function declaration this refers to it's own scope. – Mouser Commented Jan 25, 2020 at 17:03

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3 Answers 3

Sorted by: Reset to default 5

It's all due to arrow functions behavior(docs)

Step by step explanation:

var b = () => { 
    // 1
    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return this; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}
const res = b()
// 2
const secondRes = res.print(5)
// 3
secondRes.print2(5);

1. here print function saves this reference from the outer scope, so this can't be reassigned anymore
2. now print function is not using this reference that es from res variable, because this has already been attached to print function above
3. as a result secondRes is not going to reference to the object that was returned by b function. But it will use this reference that is attached to print function. And finally because secondRes doesn't have print2 property - it throws

In a non-arrow function, the value of this depends on how the function is called. If the function is called as a member of an object, this refers to this object:

someObj.myFunction() // inside myFunction this will point to someObj

In contrast, the arrow functions do not affect this. So whithin an arrow function the value of this is whatever it is in the enclosing scope.

The answer from Lex82 gives the why. If you want to return the functions, you can use function chaining:

var b = () => { 

    var print = (i) => { console.log(i); return { print:print , print2:print2 }; }    
    var print2 = function(i) { console.log(i); return this; }

    return { print:print , print2:print2 }
}
b().print(5).print2(5);