Reflect.construct()

The Reflect.construct() static method is like the new operator, but as a function. It is equivalent to calling new target(...args). It gives also the added option to specify a different new.target value.

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Syntax

js

Reflect.construct(target, argumentsList)
Reflect.construct(target, argumentsList, newTarget)

Parameters

target

The target function to call.

argumentsList

An array-like object specifying the arguments with which target should be called.

newTarget Optional

The value of new.target operator, which usually specifies the prototype of the returned object. If newTarget is not present, its value defaults to target.

Return value

A new instance of target (or newTarget, if present), initialized by target as a constructor with the given argumentsList.

Exceptions

TypeError

Thrown if target or newTarget is not a constructor, or if argumentsList is not an object.

Description

Reflect.apply() provides the reflective semantic of a constructor call. That is, Reflect.construct(target, argumentsList, newTarget) is semantically equivalent to:

js

new target(...argumentsList);

Note that when using the new operator, target and newTarget are always the same constructor — but Reflect.construct() allows you to pass a different new.target value. Conceptually, newTarget is the function on which new was called, and newTarget.prototype will become the constructed object's prototype, while target is the constructor that is actually executed to initialize the object. For example, new.target may also be different from the currently executed constructor in class inheritance.

js

class A {
  constructor() {
    console.log(new.target.name);
  }
}
class B extends A {}

new B(); // "B"

Reflect.construct() allows you to invoke a constructor with a variable number of arguments. (This is also possible with the spread syntax in a normal constructor call.)

js

const obj = new Foo(...args);
const obj = Reflect.construct(Foo, args);

Reflect.construct() invokes the [[Construct]] object internal method of target.

Examples

Using Reflect.construct()

js

const d = Reflect.construct(Date, [1776, 6, 4]);
d instanceof Date; // true
d.getFullYear(); // 1776

Reflect.construct() vs. Object.create()

Prior to the introduction of Reflect, objects could be constructed using an arbitrary combination of constructors and prototypes using Object.create().

js

function OneClass() {
  this.name = "one";
}

function OtherClass() {
  this.name = "other";
}

const obj2 = Object.create(OtherClass.prototype);
OneClass.apply(obj2, args);

console.log(obj1.name); // 'one'
console.log(obj2.name); // 'one'

console.log(obj1 instanceof OneClass); // false
console.log(obj2 instanceof OneClass); // false

console.log(obj1 instanceof OtherClass); // true
console.log(obj2 instanceof OtherClass); // true

// Another example to demonstrate below:

function func1(a, b, c, d) {
  console.log(arguments[3]);
}

function func2(d, e, f, g) {
  console.log(arguments[3]);
}

const obj1 = Reflect.construct(func1, ["I", "Love", "my", "country"]);

However, while the end result is the same, there is one important difference in the process. When using Object.create() and Function.prototype.apply(), the new.target operator will point to undefined within the function used as the constructor, since the new keyword is not being used to create the object. (In fact, it uses the apply semantic, not construct, although normal functions happen to operate nearly the same.)

When invoking Reflect.construct(), on the other hand, the new.target operator will point to the newTarget parameter if supplied, or target if not.

js

function OneClass() {
  console.log("OneClass");
  console.log(new.target);
}
function OtherClass() {
  console.log("OtherClass");
  console.log(new.target);
}

const obj1 = Reflect.construct(OneClass, args);
// Logs:
// OneClass
// function OneClass { ... }

const obj2 = Reflect.construct(OneClass, args, OtherClass);
// Logs:
// OneClass
// function OtherClass { ... }

const obj3 = Object.create(OtherClass.prototype);
OneClass.apply(obj3, args);
// Output:
//     OneClass
//     undefined

Specifications

Specification
ECMAScript Language Specification
# sec-reflect.construct

Browser compatibility

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See also