What is the difference between class and prototype in JavaScript?

What is the difference between class and prototype in JavaScript?

In JavaScript, a class is a syntactical sugar over the existing prototype-based inheritance. Classes provide a clearer and more concise way to create objects and handle inheritance.

Can you explain how prototypes work in JavaScript?

Sure! Prototypes are objects from which other objects inherit properties. Every JavaScript object has a prototype, and when you try to access a property, JavaScript looks up the prototype chain.

How do classes utilize prototypes under the hood?

Classes in JavaScript still use prototypes. When you create a class, it automatically creates a prototype object that contains methods defined in the class. Instances of the class inherit from this prototype.

Are there any performance differences between using classes and prototypes?

Generally, there are no significant performance differences. However, using classes can lead to cleaner and more maintainable code, especially in larger applications.