Is it possible to make a nested object immutable using Object.freeze() in JavaScript?
Object.freeze() method can make an object immutable but in case of a nested object, it can't prevent mutability. Object.freeze() can only provide immutability to the outside parent object, it can't access any inner child(nested) objects.
Example
In the following example, there are no nested objects. Object.freeze() method will try to freeze the whole object. Therefore there is no change in the property "name" even after freezing the object.
Live Demo
<html>
<body>
<script>
const person = {
"name" : "Suresh",
"Country" : "India",
"Designation" : "Mayor"
}
document.write("Before freeze the name is" +" "+ person.name );
document.write("</br>");
Object.freeze(person);
person.name = "John";
document.write("After freeze the name is" +" "+ person.name);
</script>
</body>
</html>Output
Before freeze the name is Suresh
After freeze the name is Suresh
When a nested object is tried to frozen by Object.freeze() the result is in vain because Object.freeze() can't access nested objects.
Example
In the following example, even though the object is frozen by Object.freeze() method the property of a nested object is changed.
Live Demo
<html>
<body>
<script>
const person = {
"name" : "Suresh",
"Country" : "India",
"Designation" : "Mayor",
"CompaniesOwned" :{
"Company1" : "Tesla",
"Company2" : "SolarCity",
"Company3" : "Spacex"
}
}
document.write("Before freeze " + " " + "Company2 is" + " "+ person.CompaniesOwned.Company2);
Object.freeze(person);
document.write("</br>");
person.CompaniesOwned.Company2 = "Neuralica";
document.write("After freeze" + " " + "Company2 is" + " "+ person.CompaniesOwned.Company2);
</script>
</body>
</html>Output
Before freeze Company2 is SolarCity
After freeze Company2 is Neuralica
Published on 28-Jun-2019 15:29:41
