Agent skill

modern-javascript

Proactively apply when creating web applications, Node.js services, or any JavaScript project. Triggers on JavaScript, ES6, ES2020, ES2022, ES2024, modern JS, refactor legacy, array methods, async/await, optional chaining, nullish coalescing, destructuring, spread, rest, template literals, arrow functions, toSorted, toReversed, at, groupBy, Promise, functional programming. Use when writing new JavaScript code, refactoring legacy code, modernizing codebases, implementing functional patterns, or reviewing JS for performance and readability. Modern JavaScript (ES6-ES2025) patterns and best practices.

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npx add-skill https://github.com/ccheney/robust-skills/tree/main/skills/modern-javascript

SKILL.md

Modern JavaScript (ES6-ES2025)

Write clean, performant, maintainable JavaScript using modern language features. This skill covers ES6 through ES2025, emphasizing immutability, functional patterns, and expressive syntax.

Quick Decision Trees

"Which array method should I use?"

What do I need?
├─ Transform each element           → .map()
├─ Keep some elements               → .filter()
├─ Find one element                 → .find() / .findLast()
├─ Check if condition met           → .some() / .every()
├─ Reduce to single value           → .reduce()
├─ Get last element                 → .at(-1)
├─ Sort without mutating            → .toSorted()
├─ Reverse without mutating         → .toReversed()
├─ Group by property                → Object.groupBy()
└─ Flatten nested arrays            → .flat() / .flatMap()

"How do I handle nullish values?"

Nullish handling?
├─ Safe property access              → obj?.prop / obj?.[key]
├─ Safe method call                  → obj?.method?.()
├─ Default for null/undefined only   → value ?? 'default'
├─ Default for any falsy             → value || 'default'
├─ Assign if null/undefined          → obj.prop ??= 'default'
└─ Check property exists             → Object.hasOwn(obj, 'key')

"Should I mutate or copy?"

Always prefer non-mutating methods:
├─ Sort array      → .toSorted()    (not .sort())
├─ Reverse array   → .toReversed()  (not .reverse())
├─ Splice array    → .toSpliced()   (not .splice())
├─ Update element  → .with(i, val)  (not arr[i] = val)
├─ Add to array    → [...arr, item] (not .push())
└─ Merge objects   → {...obj, key}  (not Object.assign())

ES Version Quick Reference

Version Year Key Features
ES6 2015 let/const, arrow functions, classes, destructuring, spread, Promises, modules, Symbol, Map/Set, Proxy, generators
ES2016 2016 Array.includes(), exponentiation operator **
ES2017 2017 async/await, Object.values/entries, padStart/padEnd, trailing commas, SharedArrayBuffer, Atomics
ES2018 2018 Rest/spread for objects, for await...of, Promise.finally(), RegExp named groups, lookbehind, dotAll flag
ES2019 2019 .flat(), .flatMap(), Object.fromEntries(), trimStart/End(), optional catch binding, stable Array.sort()
ES2020 2020 Optional chaining ?., nullish coalescing ??, BigInt, Promise.allSettled(), globalThis, dynamic import()
ES2021 2021 String.replaceAll(), Promise.any(), logical assignment ??= and or=, numeric separators 1_000_000
ES2022 2022 .at(), Object.hasOwn(), top-level await, private class fields #field, static blocks, Error.cause
ES2023 2023 .toSorted(), .toReversed(), .toSpliced(), .with(), .findLast(), .findLastIndex(), hashbang grammar
ES2024 2024 Object.groupBy(), Map.groupBy(), Promise.withResolvers(), RegExp v flag, resizable ArrayBuffer
ES2025 2025 Iterator helpers (.map, .filter, .take), Set methods (.union, .intersection), RegExp.escape(), using/await using

Modernization Patterns

Array Access

javascript
// ❌ Legacy
const last = arr[arr.length - 1];
const secondLast = arr[arr.length - 2];

// ✅ Modern (ES2022)
const last = arr.at(-1);
const secondLast = arr.at(-2);

Non-Mutating Array Operations

javascript
// ❌ Mutates original array
const sorted = arr.sort((a, b) => a - b);
const reversed = arr.reverse();

// ✅ Returns new array (ES2023)
const sorted = arr.toSorted((a, b) => a - b);
const reversed = arr.toReversed();
const updated = arr.with(2, 'new value');
const removed = arr.toSpliced(1, 1);

String Replacement

javascript
// ❌ Legacy with regex
const result = str.replace(/foo/g, 'bar');

// ✅ Modern (ES2021)
const result = str.replaceAll('foo', 'bar');

Grouping Data

javascript
// ❌ Manual grouping
const grouped = items.reduce((acc, item) => {
  const key = item.category;
  acc[key] = acc[key] || [];
  acc[key].push(item);
  return acc;
}, {});

// ✅ Modern (ES2024)
const grouped = Object.groupBy(items, item => item.category);

Nullish Handling

javascript
// ❌ Falsy check (0, '', false are valid values)
const value = input || 'default';
const name = user && user.profile && user.profile.name;

// ✅ Nullish check (only null/undefined)
const value = input ?? 'default';
const name = user?.profile?.name;

Property Existence

javascript
// ❌ Can be fooled by prototype or overwritten hasOwnProperty
if (obj.hasOwnProperty('key')) { }

// ✅ Modern (ES2022)
if (Object.hasOwn(obj, 'key')) { }

Logical Assignment

javascript
// ❌ Verbose assignment
if (obj.prop === null || obj.prop === undefined) {
  obj.prop = 'default';
}

// ✅ Modern (ES2021)
obj.prop ??= 'default';  // Assign if null/undefined
obj.count ||= 0;         // Assign if falsy
obj.enabled &&= check(); // Assign if truthy

Async Patterns

Promise Combinators

javascript
// Wait for all, fail if any fails
const [users, posts] = await Promise.all([fetchUsers(), fetchPosts()]);

// Wait for all, get status of each
const results = await Promise.allSettled([fetchA(), fetchB()]);
results.forEach(r => {
  if (r.status === 'fulfilled') console.log(r.value);
  else console.error(r.reason);
});

// First to succeed
const fastest = await Promise.any([fetchFromCDN1(), fetchFromCDN2()]);

// First to settle
const winner = await Promise.race([fetchData(), timeout(5000)]);

Promise.withResolvers (ES2024)

javascript
// ❌ Legacy pattern
let resolve, reject;
const promise = new Promise((res, rej) => {
  resolve = res;
  reject = rej;
});

// ✅ Modern (ES2024)
const { promise, resolve, reject } = Promise.withResolvers();

Top-Level Await (ES2022)

javascript
// In ES modules, await at top level
const config = await fetch('/config.json').then(r => r.json());
const db = await connectDatabase(config);

export { db };

Functional Patterns

Immutable Object Updates

javascript
// Add/update property
const updated = { ...user, age: 31 };

// Remove property
const { password, ...userWithoutPassword } = user;

// Nested update
const updated = {
  ...state,
  user: { ...state.user, name: 'New Name' }
};

Array Transformations

javascript
// Chain transformations (ES2023)
const result = users
  .filter(u => u.active)
  .map(u => u.name)
  .toSorted();

// Using flatMap for filter+map (single pass)
const activeNames = users.flatMap(u => u.active ? [u.name] : []);

// ES2024: Group then process
const byStatus = Object.groupBy(users, u => u.active ? 'active' : 'inactive');
const activeNames = byStatus.active?.map(u => u.name) ?? [];

Composition

javascript
const pipe = (...fns) => x => fns.reduce((v, f) => f(v), x);
const compose = (...fns) => x => fns.reduceRight((v, f) => f(v), x);

const processUser = pipe(
  user => ({ ...user, name: user.name.trim() }),
  user => ({ ...user, email: user.email.toLowerCase() }),
  user => ({ ...user, createdAt: new Date() })
);

Destructuring Patterns

Object Destructuring

javascript
// Basic with rename and default
const { name: userName, age = 18 } = user;

// Nested
const { address: { city, country } } = user;

// Rest
const { id, ...userData } = user;

Array Destructuring

javascript
// Skip elements
const [first, , third] = array;

// Rest
const [head, ...tail] = array;

// Swap variables
[a, b] = [b, a];

// Function returns
const [x, y] = getCoordinates();

Anti-Patterns

Anti-Pattern Problem Modern Solution
arr[arr.length-1] Verbose, error-prone arr.at(-1)
.sort() on original Mutates array .toSorted()
.replace(/g/) for all Regex overhead .replaceAll()
obj.hasOwnProperty() Can be overwritten Object.hasOwn()
value || default 0, '', false treated as falsy value ?? default
obj && obj.prop && obj.prop.method() Verbose null checks obj?.prop?.method?.()
for (let i = 0; ...) Index bugs, verbose .map(), .filter(), for...of
new Promise((res, rej) => ...) Boilerplate Promise.withResolvers()
Manual array grouping Verbose, error-prone Object.groupBy()

Best Practices

  1. Use const by default — Only use let when reassignment is needed
  2. Prefer arrow functions — Especially for callbacks and short functions
  3. Use template literals — Instead of string concatenation
  4. Destructure early — Extract what you need at function start
  5. Avoid mutations — Use .toSorted(), .toReversed(), spread operator
  6. Use optional chaining — Prevent "Cannot read property of undefined"
  7. Use nullish coalescing?? for defaults, not || (unless intentional)
  8. Prefer array methods.map(), .filter(), .find() over loops
  9. Use async/await — Instead of .then() chains
  10. Handle errors properlytry/catch with async/await

Reference Documentation

ES Version References

File Purpose
references/ES2016-ES2017.md includes, async/await, Object.values/entries, string padding
references/ES2018-ES2019.md rest/spread objects, flat/flatMap, RegExp named groups
references/ES2022-ES2023.md .at(), .toSorted(), .toReversed(), .findLast(), class features
references/ES2024.md Object.groupBy, Promise.withResolvers, RegExp v flag
references/ES2025.md Set methods, iterator helpers, using/await using
references/UPCOMING.md Temporal API, Decorators, Decorator Metadata

Pattern References

File Purpose
references/PROMISES.md Promise fundamentals, async/await, combinators
references/CONCURRENCY.md Parallel, batched, pool patterns, retry, cancellation
references/IMMUTABILITY.md Immutable data patterns, pure functions
references/COMPOSITION.md Higher-order functions, memoization, monads
references/CHEATSHEET.md Quick syntax reference

Resources

Specifications

Documentation

Compatibility

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