#Shorts: Javascript Closures Explained in 50 seconds

If you’ve been working with JavaScript for a while, you’ve probably heard of the term “closures.” But what exactly are closures, and why are they important?

A closure is a feature in JavaScript that allows a function to remember and access its lexical scope even when that function is executed outside that lexical scope. In simpler terms, a closure gives you access to an outer function’s scope from an inner function.

One of the key benefits of closures is that they allow for data encapsulation and privacy. By creating a closure, you can define private variables and functions that are only accessible within the scope of the closure.

Closures are commonly used in event handlers, timers, and callbacks, where you want to maintain access to certain variables or functions even after the outer function has finished executing.

Here’s a quick example of a closure in action:

      
        function outerFunction() {
          let outerVariable = 'I am from the outer function';
          
          function innerFunction() {
            console.log(outerVariable);
          }
          
          return innerFunction;
        }
        
        let innerFunc = outerFunction();
        innerFunc(); // Output: I am from the outer function
      
    

In this example, the inner function maintains access to the outerVariable even though the outer function has finished executing.

So, the next time you come across the term “closures” in JavaScript, remember that it’s a powerful feature that allows you to create private variables and functions, encapsulate data, and maintain access to outer function scopes.

That’s it for this quick explanation of JavaScript closures! Hope you found it helpful.