const language = { set current(name) { this.log.push(name); }, log: [], }; language.current = "EN"; language.current = "FA"; console.log(language.log); // Expected output: Array ["EN", "FA"]
js
{ set prop(val) { /* … */ } } { set [expression](val) { /* … */ } } There are some additional syntax restrictions:
A setter must have exactly one parameter.
The name of the property to bind to the given function. In the same way as other properties in
, it can be a string literal, a number literal, or an identifier.
An alias for the variable that holds the value attempted to be assigned to prop.
You can also use expressions for a computed property name to bind to the given function.
In JavaScript, a setter can be used to execute a function whenever an attempt is made to change a property's value. Setters are most often used in conjunction with getters.
An object property is either a data property or an accessor property, but it cannot simultaneously be both. Read
for more information. The setter syntax allows you to specify the setter function in an object initializer.
js
const obj = { set prop(val) { // setter, the code executed when setting obj.prop }, }; Properties defined using this syntax are own properties of the created object, and they are configurable and enumerable.
Defining a setter on new objects in object initializers
The following example defines a pseudo-property current of object language. When current is assigned a value, it updates log with that value:
js
const language = { set current(name) { this.log.push(name); }, log: [], }; language.current = "EN"; console.log(language.log); // ['EN'] language.current = "FA"; console.log(language.log); // ['EN', 'FA'] Note that current is not defined, and any attempts to access it will result in undefined.
You can use the exact same syntax to define public instance setters that are available on class instances. In classes, you don't need the comma separator between methods.
js
class ClassWithGetSet { #msg = "hello world"; get msg() { return this.#msg; } set msg(x) { this.#msg = `hello ${x}`; } } const instance = new ClassWithGetSet(); console.log(instance.msg); // "hello world" instance.msg = "cake"; console.log(instance.msg); // "hello cake" Setter properties are defined on the prototype property of the class and are thus shared by all instances of the class. Unlike setter properties in object literals, setter properties in classes are not enumerable.
Static setters and private setters use similar syntaxes, which are described in the
and
pages.
Removing a setter with the delete operator
If you want to remove the setter, you can just
it:
js
delete language.current;
Defining a setter on existing objects using defineProperty
To append a setter to an existing object, use
.
js
const o = { a: 0 }; Object.defineProperty(o, "b", { set(x) { this.a = x / 2; }, }); o.b = 10; // Runs the setter, which assigns 10 / 2 (5) to the 'a' property console.log(o.a); // 5
Using a computed property name
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const expr = "foo"; const obj = { baz: "bar", set [expr](v) { this.baz = v; }, }; console.log(obj.baz); // "bar" obj.foo = "baz"; // Run the setter console.log(obj.baz); // "baz"
Specification
ECMAScript® 2027 Language Specification# sec-method-definitions
guide
by Jeff Walden (2010)
by Jeff Walden (2010)