# JavaScript Objects

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## Real Life Objects, Properties, and Methods

In real life, a car is an object.

A car has properties like weight and color, and methods like start and stop:

Object | Properties | Methods
--- | --- | ---
| car.name = Fiat car.model = 500 car.weight = 850kg car.color = white | car.start() car.drive() car.brake() car.stop()

All cars have the same properties, but the property values differ from car to car.

All cars have the same methods, but the methods are performed at different times.

## JavaScript Objects

You have already learned that JavaScript variables are containers for data values.

This code assigns a simple value (Fiat) to a variable named car:

var car = "Fiat";
Try it Yourself »

Objects are variables too. But objects can contain many values.

This code assigns many values (Fiat, 500, white) to a variable named car:

var car = {type:"Fiat", model:500, color:"white"};
Try it Yourself »

The values are written as name:value pairs (name and value separated by a colon).

| JavaScript objects are containers for named values.

## Object Properties

The name:values pairs (in JavaScript objects) are called properties.

var person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};

Property | Property Value
--- | ---
firstName | John
lastName | Doe
age | 50
eyeColor | blue

## Object Methods

Methods are actions that can be performed on objects.

Methods are stored in properties as function definitions.

Property | Property Value
--- | ---
firstName | John
lastName | Doe
age | 50
eyeColor | blue
fullName | function() {return this.firstName + " " + this.lastName;}

| JavaScript objects are containers for named values, called properties and methods.

## Object Definition

You define (and create) a JavaScript object with an object literal:

## Example

var person = {firstName:"John", lastName:"Doe", age:50, eyeColor:"blue"};
Try it Yourself »

Spaces and line breaks are not important. An object definition can span multiple lines:

## Example

var person = {
firstName:"John",
lastName:"Doe",
age:50,
eyeColor:"blue"
};
Try it Yourself »

## Accessing Object Properties

You can access object properties in two ways:

objectName.propertyName

or

objectName[propertyName]

## Example1

person.lastName;
Try it Yourself »

## Example2

person["lastName"];
Try it Yourself »

## Accessing Object Methods

You access an object method with the following syntax:

objectName.methodName()

## Example

name = person.fullName();
Try it Yourself »

If you access the fullName property, without (), it will return the function definition:

## Example

name = person.fullName;
Try it Yourself »

## Do Not Declare Strings, Numbers, and Booleans as Objects!

When a JavaScript variable is declared with the keyword "new", the variable is created as an object:

var x = new String(); // Declares x as a String object
var y = new Number(); // Declares y as a Number object
var z = new Boolean(); // Declares z as a Boolean object

Avoid String, Number, and Boolean objects. They complicate your code and slow down execution speed.

| You will learn more about objects later in this tutorial.

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