Question

Let’s say I have this code (fiddle) intended to memoize modules:

var chat = {
 // Create this closure to contain the cached modules
 module: function() {
    // Internal module cache.
    var modules = {};
     console.log('in module:', name);  // <---------- "in return: result"     
    // Create a new module reference scaffold or load an
    // existing module.
    return function(name) {
      console.log('in return:', name); // <---------- "in return: derp"
      // If this module has already been created, return it.
      if (modules[name]) {
        return modules[name];
      }

      // Create a module and save it under this name
      return modules[name] = { Views: {} };
    };
  }()
};

chat.module("derp");

Nowhere in the code is the phrase “result” even mentioned. Why would it return that value in the first console log?

Also, how does the return function get the value for the name parameter when none is specified in the module: function() {} declaration?

Answer 1

console.log('in module:', name);

You are logging name before you ever declare it. So it’s using window.name instead.