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Q&A What is [{options}] in JavaScript?

Given the link where the code comes from (based on your other question), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example". It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like...

posted 2y ago by hkotsubo‭ · edited 2y ago by hkotsubo‭

Answer

#3: Post edited by

hkotsubo‭ · 2022-05-09T11:30:20Z (over 2 years ago)

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Given the [link where the code comes from](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer#usage) (based on your [other question](https://software.codidact.com/posts/286403)), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example".
It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like a free-format "syntax" intended to provide a general documentation about what parameters are expected for that function.
It's not uncommon to see many documentation pages that uses such format (not only for JavaScript, BTW). For example, [many Unix/Linux commands](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/ls.1.html) adopt a similar style in their manual pages.
Some documents use brackets to indicate an optional parameter, but I'm not sure if that's the convention used in iFrame Resizer's doc, so read it carefully to see if that's the case.
Some others also use `||` to indicate that a parameter can have different values and/or different types.
And that's the confusing part, I guess. As that "code" is not actually valid JavaScript code (but only a "free-format-style" documentation example), the brackets does not necessarily mean that it's an array, and the `||` is not the logical OR operator.
~~<hr>~~
~~That said,~~
~~Basically, `iFrameResize( [{options}], [css selector] || [iframe] )` is just saying (documenting) that `iFrameResize` can take two arguments, and tells us a little information about them.~~
The first one is `options`, which is an object (I'm guessing because it's between `{}`, and given the example in the same documentation - `iFrameResize({ log: true }, '#myIframe')` - I guess I'm right). But what kind of object? What data should it have, and what its purpose? Well, you should take a look at the [documentation](http://davidjbradshaw.github.io/iframe-resizer/), it has a very detailed description of each possible option value.
The second argument is `[css selector] || [iframe]`, which means that it can be either a CSS selector (AKA a string, such as `'#myIframe'`, that corresponds to the iframe element) or an iframe element (for instance, an element you've got from a call to `document.querySelector`).
---
And that's it. There's nothing special about the `options` object, and its purpose and usage is defined by whatever the `iFrameResize` function expects. I suggest you to read the docs to see all the use cases. But regarding JavaScript, it's just a simple ("normal") object, just like any other one.

Given the [link where the code comes from](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer#usage) (based on your [other question](https://software.codidact.com/posts/286403)), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example".
It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like a free-format "syntax" intended to provide a general documentation about what parameters are expected for that function.
It's not uncommon to see many documentation pages that uses such format (not only for JavaScript, BTW). For example, [many Unix/Linux commands](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/ls.1.html) adopt a similar style in their manual pages.
Some documents use brackets to indicate an optional parameter, but I'm not sure if that's the convention used in iFrame Resizer's doc, so read it carefully to see if that's the case.
Some others also use `||` to indicate that a parameter can have different values and/or different types.
And that's the confusing part, I guess. As that "code" is not actually valid JavaScript code (but only a "free-format-style" documentation example), the brackets does not necessarily mean that it's an array, and the `||` is not the logical OR operator.
---
That said, basically, `iFrameResize( [{options}], [css selector] || [iframe] )` is just saying (documenting) that `iFrameResize` can take two arguments, and tells us a little information about them.
The first one is `options`, which is an object (I'm guessing because it's between `{}`, and given the example in the same documentation - `iFrameResize({ log: true }, '#myIframe')` - I guess I'm right). But what kind of object? What data should it have, and what its purpose? Well, you should take a look at the [documentation](https://davidjbradshaw.github.io/iframe-resizer/#options), it has a very detailed description of each possible option value.
The second argument is `[css selector] || [iframe]`, which means that it can be either a CSS selector (AKA a string, such as `'#myIframe'`, that corresponds to the iframe element) or an iframe element (for instance, an element you've got from a call to `document.querySelector`).
---
And that's it. There's nothing special about the `options` object, and its purpose and usage is defined by whatever the `iFrameResize` function expects. I suggest you to read the docs to see all the use cases. But regarding JavaScript, it's just a simple ("normal") object, just like any other one.

#2: Post edited by (deleted user) · 2022-05-08T11:33:43Z (over 2 years ago)
Accessibility, I believe it makes the code easier to read and digest.

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Given the [link where the code comes from](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer#usage) (based on your [other question](https://software.codidact.com/posts/286403)), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example".
It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like a free-format "syntax" intended to provide a general documentation about what parameters are expected for that function.
It's not uncommon to see many documentation pages that uses such format (not only for JavaScript, BTW). For example, [many Unix/Linux commands](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/ls.1.html) adopt a similar style in their manual pages.
Some documents use brackets to indicate an optional parameter, but I'm not sure if that's the convention used in iFrame Resizer's doc, so read it carefully to see if that's the case.
Some others also use `||` to indicate that a parameter can have different values and/or different types.
And that's the confusing part, I guess. As that "code" is not actually valid JavaScript code (but only a "free-format-style" documentation example), the brackets does not necessarily mean that it's an array, and the `||` is not the logical OR operator.
Basically, `iFrameResize( [{options}], [css selector] || [iframe] )` is just saying (documenting) that `iFrameResize` can take two arguments, and tells us a little information about them.
The first one is `options`, which is an object (I'm guessing because it's between `{}`, and given the example in the same documentation - `iFrameResize({ log: true }, '#myIframe')` - I guess I'm right). But what kind of object? What data should it have, and what its purpose? Well, you should take a look at the [documentation](http://davidjbradshaw.github.io/iframe-resizer/), it has a very detailed description of each possible option value.
The second argument is `[css selector] || [iframe]`, which means that it can be either a CSS selector (AKA a string, such as `'#myIframe'`, that corresponds to the iframe element) or an iframe element (for instance, an element you've got from a call to `document.querySelector`).
---
And that's it. There's nothing special about the `options` object, and its purpose and usage is defined by whatever the `iFrameResize` function expects. I suggest you to read the docs to see all the use cases. But regarding JavaScript, it's just a simple ("normal") object, just like any other one.

Given the [link where the code comes from](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer#usage) (based on your [other question](https://software.codidact.com/posts/286403)), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example".
It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like a free-format "syntax" intended to provide a general documentation about what parameters are expected for that function.
It's not uncommon to see many documentation pages that uses such format (not only for JavaScript, BTW). For example, [many Unix/Linux commands](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/ls.1.html) adopt a similar style in their manual pages.
Some documents use brackets to indicate an optional parameter, but I'm not sure if that's the convention used in iFrame Resizer's doc, so read it carefully to see if that's the case.
Some others also use `||` to indicate that a parameter can have different values and/or different types.
And that's the confusing part, I guess. As that "code" is not actually valid JavaScript code (but only a "free-format-style" documentation example), the brackets does not necessarily mean that it's an array, and the `||` is not the logical OR operator.
<hr>
That said,
Basically, `iFrameResize( [{options}], [css selector] || [iframe] )` is just saying (documenting) that `iFrameResize` can take two arguments, and tells us a little information about them.
The first one is `options`, which is an object (I'm guessing because it's between `{}`, and given the example in the same documentation - `iFrameResize({ log: true }, '#myIframe')` - I guess I'm right). But what kind of object? What data should it have, and what its purpose? Well, you should take a look at the [documentation](http://davidjbradshaw.github.io/iframe-resizer/), it has a very detailed description of each possible option value.
The second argument is `[css selector] || [iframe]`, which means that it can be either a CSS selector (AKA a string, such as `'#myIframe'`, that corresponds to the iframe element) or an iframe element (for instance, an element you've got from a call to `document.querySelector`).
---
And that's it. There's nothing special about the `options` object, and its purpose and usage is defined by whatever the `iFrameResize` function expects. I suggest you to read the docs to see all the use cases. But regarding JavaScript, it's just a simple ("normal") object, just like any other one.

#1: Initial revision by

hkotsubo‭ · 2022-05-07T17:03:26Z (over 2 years ago)

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Given the  [link where the code comes from](https://github.com/davidjbradshaw/iframe-resizer#usage) (based on your [other question](https://software.codidact.com/posts/286403)), this is just a, let's say, "free-form/pseudo-code/documentation example".

It's not a valid JavaScript code. It's more like a free-format "syntax" intended to provide a general documentation about what parameters are expected for that function.

It's not uncommon to see many documentation pages that uses such format (not only for JavaScript, BTW). For example, [many Unix/Linux commands](https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/ls.1.html) adopt a similar style in their manual pages.

Some documents use brackets to indicate an optional parameter, but I'm not sure if that's the convention used in iFrame Resizer's doc, so read it carefully to see if that's the case.

Some others also use `||` to indicate that a parameter can have different values and/or different types.

And that's the confusing part, I guess. As that "code" is not actually valid JavaScript code (but only a "free-format-style" documentation example), the brackets does not necessarily mean that it's an array, and the `||` is not the logical OR operator.

Basically, `iFrameResize( [{options}], [css selector] || [iframe] )` is just saying (documenting) that `iFrameResize` can take two arguments, and tells us a little information about them.

The first one is `options`, which is an object (I'm guessing because it's between `{}`, and given the example in the same documentation - `iFrameResize({ log: true }, '#myIframe')` - I guess I'm right). But what  kind of object? What data should it have, and what its purpose? Well, you should take a look at the [documentation](http://davidjbradshaw.github.io/iframe-resizer/), it has a very detailed description of each possible option value.

The second argument is `[css selector] || [iframe]`, which means that it can be either a CSS selector (AKA a string, such as `'#myIframe'`, that corresponds to the iframe element) or an iframe element (for instance, an element you've got from a call to `document.querySelector`).

---


And that's it. There's nothing special about the `options` object, and its purpose and usage is defined by whatever the `iFrameResize` function expects. I suggest you to read the docs to see all the use cases. But regarding JavaScript, it's just a simple ("normal") object, just like any other one.

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