What are the best practices for using optional chaining in JavaScript?

What are the best practices for using optional chaining in JavaScript?

Optional chaining is a great feature in JavaScript that allows you to safely access deeply nested properties. Best practices include using it to avoid runtime errors when accessing properties of potentially undefined or null objects.

Can you give me an example of how to use optional chaining?

Sure! If you have an object like const user = { profile: { name: 'Alice' } };, you can access the name with user.profile?.name. If profile is undefined, it won't throw an error; it will just return undefined.

Are there any performance considerations I should be aware of?

Yes, while optional chaining is convenient, overusing it in performance-critical code can lead to slight overhead. Use it judiciously, especially in loops or frequently called functions.

What happens if I try to use optional chaining on a non-object?

If you use optional chaining on a non-object, it will simply return undefined instead of throwing an error. For example, null?.property will return undefined.