Lodash - difference between .extend() / .assign() and .merge()

Here's how extend/assign works: For each property in source, copy its value as-is to destination. if property values themselves are objects, there is no recursive traversal of their properties. Entire object would be taken from source and set in to destination.

Here's how merge works: For each property in source, check if that property is object itself. If it is then go down recursively and try to map child object properties from source to destination. So essentially we merge object hierarchy from source to destination. While for extend/assign, it's simple one level copy of properties from source to destination.

Here's simple JSBin that would make this crystal clear: http://jsbin.com/uXaqIMa/2/edit?js,console

Here's more elaborate version that includes array in the example as well: http://jsbin.com/uXaqIMa/1/edit?js,console


Lodash version 3.10.1

Methods compared

  • _.merge(object, [sources], [customizer], [thisArg])
  • _.assign(object, [sources], [customizer], [thisArg])
  • _.extend(object, [sources], [customizer], [thisArg])
  • _.defaults(object, [sources])
  • _.defaultsDeep(object, [sources])

Similarities

  • None of them work on arrays as you might expect
  • _.extend is an alias for _.assign, so they are identical
  • All of them seem to modify the target object (first argument)
  • All of them handle null the same

Differences

  • _.defaults and _.defaultsDeep processes the arguments in reverse order compared to the others (though the first argument is still the target object)
  • _.merge and _.defaultsDeep will merge child objects and the others will overwrite at the root level
  • Only _.assign and _.extend will overwrite a value with undefined

Tests

They all handle members at the root in similar ways.

_.assign      ({}, { a: 'a' }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "bb" }
_.merge       ({}, { a: 'a' }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "bb" }
_.defaults    ({}, { a: 'a' }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "a"  }
_.defaultsDeep({}, { a: 'a' }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "a"  }

_.assign handles undefined but the others will skip it

_.assign      ({}, { a: 'a'  }, { a: undefined }) // => { a: undefined }
_.merge       ({}, { a: 'a'  }, { a: undefined }) // => { a: "a" }
_.defaults    ({}, { a: undefined }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "bb" }
_.defaultsDeep({}, { a: undefined }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: "bb" }

They all handle null the same

_.assign      ({}, { a: 'a'  }, { a: null }) // => { a: null }
_.merge       ({}, { a: 'a'  }, { a: null }) // => { a: null }
_.defaults    ({}, { a: null }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: null }
_.defaultsDeep({}, { a: null }, { a: 'bb' }) // => { a: null }

But only _.merge and _.defaultsDeep will merge child objects

_.assign      ({}, {a:{a:'a'}}, {a:{b:'bb'}}) // => { "a": { "b": "bb" }}
_.merge       ({}, {a:{a:'a'}}, {a:{b:'bb'}}) // => { "a": { "a": "a", "b": "bb" }}
_.defaults    ({}, {a:{a:'a'}}, {a:{b:'bb'}}) // => { "a": { "a": "a" }}
_.defaultsDeep({}, {a:{a:'a'}}, {a:{b:'bb'}}) // => { "a": { "a": "a", "b": "bb" }}

And none of them will merge arrays it seems

_.assign      ({}, {a:['a']}, {a:['bb']}) // => { "a": [ "bb" ] }
_.merge       ({}, {a:['a']}, {a:['bb']}) // => { "a": [ "bb" ] }
_.defaults    ({}, {a:['a']}, {a:['bb']}) // => { "a": [ "a"  ] }
_.defaultsDeep({}, {a:['a']}, {a:['bb']}) // => { "a": [ "a"  ] }

All modify the target object

a={a:'a'}; _.assign      (a, {b:'bb'}); // a => { a: "a", b: "bb" }
a={a:'a'}; _.merge       (a, {b:'bb'}); // a => { a: "a", b: "bb" }
a={a:'a'}; _.defaults    (a, {b:'bb'}); // a => { a: "a", b: "bb" }
a={a:'a'}; _.defaultsDeep(a, {b:'bb'}); // a => { a: "a", b: "bb" }

None really work as expected on arrays

Note: As @Mistic pointed out, Lodash treats arrays as objects where the keys are the index into the array.

_.assign      ([], ['a'], ['bb']) // => [ "bb" ]
_.merge       ([], ['a'], ['bb']) // => [ "bb" ]
_.defaults    ([], ['a'], ['bb']) // => [ "a"  ]
_.defaultsDeep([], ['a'], ['bb']) // => [ "a"  ]

_.assign      ([], ['a','b'], ['bb']) // => [ "bb", "b" ]
_.merge       ([], ['a','b'], ['bb']) // => [ "bb", "b" ]
_.defaults    ([], ['a','b'], ['bb']) // => [ "a", "b"  ]
_.defaultsDeep([], ['a','b'], ['bb']) // => [ "a", "b"  ]

Tags:

Javascript

Lodash

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