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In JavaScript, functions are first-class objects, meaning that they can be created, manipulated and passed around in the same manner as other objects/variables in JavaScript. For example, a function can be created, stored in a variable or even be the return value of another function, as seen below:

function getPower(power)
{
  return function(x)
  {
    return Math.pow(x, power);
  }
}

var x3 = getPower(3);
window.alert(x3(3)); // Outputs 27.

In the rather stupid and contrived example above, we make a function getPower() that returns another function which raises the given value to the exponent supplied by calling getPower(). (This is a bad way to do things for numerous reasons, but is just shown for the sake of providing a simple example)

We then call getPower with a power of 3 and assign the returned function to the variable x3, and the output is as expected. Defining “inline” functions this way and manipulating them is closely associated with the concept of anonymous functions.

Continued