eval

Author: iliakan

1-js/01-getting-started/2-code-editors/article.md

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ If you haven't selected an IDE yet, consider the following options:
 - [Visual Studio Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) (cross-platform, free).
 - [WebStorm](http://www.jetbrains.com/webstorm/) (cross-platform, paid).
 
-For Windows, there's also "Visual Studio", not to be confused with "Visual Studio Code". "Visual Studio" is a paid and mighty Windows-only editor, well-suited for the .NET platform. It's also good at JavaScript.
+For Windows, there's also "Visual Studio", not to be confused with "Visual Studio Code". "Visual Studio" is a paid and mighty Windows-only editor, well-suited for the .NET platform. It's also good at JavaScript. There's also a free version [Visual Studio Community](https://www.visualstudio.com/vs/community/).
 
 Many IDEs are paid, but have a trial period. Their cost is usually negligible compared to a qualified developer's salary, so just choose the best one for you.
 

10-misc/02-eval/1-eval-calculator/solution.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Let's use `eval` to calculate the maths expression:
+
+```js demo run
+let expr = prompt("Type an arithmetic expression?", '2*3+2');
+
+alert( eval(expr) );
+```
+
+The user can input any text or code though.
+
+To make things safe, and limit it to arithmetics only, we can check the `expr` using a [regular expression](info:regular-expressions), so that it only may contain digits and operators.

10-misc/02-eval/1-eval-calculator/task.md

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+importance: 4
+
+---
+
+# Eval-calculator
+
+Create a calculator that prompts for an arithmetic expression and returns its result.
+
+There's no need to check the expression for correctness in this task.
+
+[demo]

10-misc/02-eval/article.md

@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+# Eval: run a code string
+
+The built-in `eval(code)` function allows to execute a string of `code`.
+
+For example:
+
+```js run
+let code = 'alert("Hello")';
+eval(code); // Hello
+```
+
+A call to `eval` returns the result of the last statement.
+
+For example:
+```js run
+let value = eval('1+1');
+alert(value); // 2
+```
+
+The code is executed in the current lexical environment, so it can see outer variables:
+
+```js run no-beautify
+let a = 1;
+
+function f() {
+  let a = 2;
+
+*!*
+  eval('alert(a)'); // 2
+*/!*
+}
+
+f();
+```
+
+It can change outer variables as well:
+
+```js untrusted refresh run
+let x = 5;
+eval("x = 10");
+alert(x); // 10, value modified
+```
+
+In strict mode, `eval` has its own lexical environment. So functions and variables, declared inside eval, are not visible outside:
+
+```js untrusted refresh run
+// reminder: 'use strict' is enabled in runnable examples by default
+
+eval("let x = 5; function f() {}");
+
+alert(typeof x); // undefined (no such variable)
+// function f is also not visible
+```
+
+Without `use strict`, `eval` doesn't have its own lexical environment, so we would see `x` and `f` outside.
+
+## Using "eval"
+
+In modern programming `eval` is used very sparingly. There's also an expression "eval is evil".
+
+The reason is simple: long, long time ago JavaScript was a weak language, many things could only be done with `eval`. But that time has passed.
+
+Right now, there's almost no reason to use `eval`. If someone is using it, there's a good chance they can replace it with a modern language construct, or [JavaScript Modules](info:modules).
+
+Still, if you're sure you need `eval`, please note that its ability to access outer variables has side-effects.
+
+Code minifiers (tools used before JS gets to production, to compress it) replace local variables with shorter ones. That's safe, unless `eval` is used. When they see `eval`, they thing it might use local variables, so they don't replace all local variables that might be visible from `eval`. That negatively affects code compression ratio.
+
+Also, renaming a local variable becomes more dangeours overall.
+
+Using outer variables inside `eval` is a bad programming practice.
+
+There are two solutions.
+
+**If you don't use outer variables, please call `eval` as `window.eval(...)`:**
+
+```js untrusted refresh run
+let a = 1;
+{
+  let a = 5;
+  window.eval('alert(a)'); // 1
+}
+```
+
+**If your code needs variables, execute it with `new Function`:**
+
+```js run
+let f = new Function('a', 'alert(a)');
+
+f(5); // 5
+```
+
+The `new Function` construct is explained in the chapter <info:new-function>. It creates a function from a string. Local variables can be passed to it as parameters, like in the example above.
+
+## Summary
+
+- A call to `eval(code)` runs the code and returns the result of the last statement.
+- Rarely used in modern JavaScript.
+- Can access outer local variables. That's considered bad practice.
+- To execute the code in the global scope, use `window.eval(code)`.
+- If your code needs some data from the outer scope, use `new Function` and pass it as arguments.