When should I use regular Maps instead of WeakMaps?

Can you explain when to use regular Maps over WeakMaps in JavaScript?

Sure! Regular Maps are great for storing key-value pairs where both keys and values are strongly referenced. Use them when you need to maintain a reference to the keys.

What about WeakMaps? When should I use those?

WeakMaps are useful when you want to allow garbage collection of keys. If the only reference to a key is in a WeakMap, it can be garbage collected, which is helpful for memory management.

So, if I have a large dataset, should I prefer WeakMaps?

Yes, if you have a large dataset and want to avoid memory leaks, WeakMaps can be a better choice since they don't prevent garbage collection of their keys.

Are there any performance differences between the two?

Yes, regular Maps can be faster for certain operations due to their strong references, but WeakMaps can be more efficient in terms of memory usage when dealing with large datasets.